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Price 50 Cents. 





Twenty Years 

a horse tamer. 




Thrilling Incidents. 



CRUELTY. 




2ii( > J l.l.tJSTRAXIONS 



WORKS PUBLISHED BY THE MAGNER PUBLISHING COMPANY, 

Facts for Horse-Owners : 

I200 ROYAL OCTAVO PAGES, WITH 1450 ILLUSTRATIONS, 80 SPE- 
ClAL PLATES, 56 ON THE FOOT AND LEG. 



Tilts great work comjyrises three divisions : — 

First Section— Comprises the secrets or art of taming and controlling riciouS 
horses, with all correlative features regarding training, cruelty, trotting, etc., etc., com- 
prising 27 chapters, 607 pages, with over 600 wood engravings. The only work in the 
world In which the true secrets or principles of subduing or controlling vicious and 
unmanageable horses are given. 

Section Second— Shoeing, Lameness, Injuries, etc., comprising nearly 300 pages, 
with nearly 400 illustrations, and over 60special plates, on the structure of the foot and 
leg, in special edition printed in colors. It embodies all the bottom facts of interest 
to the student and shoer on the principles of shoeing and treatment of lameness and 
injuries. 

Third Section— Diseases, etc., comprises 19 chapters, nearly 400 p^ges, with over 
600 special illustrations. 

For full details in relation to this great work see page 311. 

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JUST FUBLiISHEElD. 

Magner's Twenty Years a Horse Tamer, 

With Interesting Facts Regarding the Subjection of Vicious Horses, 
with Important Chapters on CRUELTY. 

320 pages with 250 Illustrations, in cheap form, 25 cent^. 

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HOW TO OBTAIN THE BOOK FREE. 

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Coachmen, Breeders, and others having the care or personal charge of horses. To 
any one who will send us Thirty plainly written names and addresses of Teamsters, 
Coaclimen and others mentioned, and five cents to pay postage, we will send a copy 
of tlie book free. 

THE MAGNER PUBLISHING CO., 

Battle Creek, Michigan. 



X 





Miur — 



f 



MAGNER'S 

Story of Twenty Years 



.A . . 



HORSE /%fHf<LJI^KWM H TAMER. 




HUNDREDS OF THRILLINd INCIDENTS 



HOW THE MOST 



Vicious Horses Were Subdued. 



By D. MAGNER, 



AUTHOR OF "THE ART OF TAMING HORSES," "FACTS FOR HORSE OWNERS, 
/, "the STANDARD HORSE AND STOCK BOOK." 






WITH IMPORTANT 

CHAPTERS ON CRUELTY. 



TiClltb 250 1Tllustration0. 



BATTLE CREEK, MICH.: 
F'XJBLISHED BY IVTAGNER BOOK CO. / 

1895. 




Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1895, 

By D. MAGNER, 

In the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. 



All Rights Reserved. 



T 



CONTENTS. 



CHAP. PAGE. 

Memoirs — Special Explanations — What 
was Known Before My Time — Dick 
Christian-Jumper — Bull — Irish Whis- 
perer — Fancher — Offutt — Rarey, . 9-13 

I How I Came to Engage in the Business — 
result of an Accident — interesting Inci- 
dent, . . . . • . . 14-28 

II DrivingStallions Without Reins— Import- 
ant Discovery — Noted Roberts Horse — 
Special Feats, ..... 20-40 

III My Trained Ponies — Campaign in the South 
— Test Experiments — Buffalo Man-eat- 
er, etc., 41-53 

IV Panic — Interesting Trials — Noted Cases — 

A Conspiracy, . . ^ . 54-63 

V Visit to New York — Experiments Before 
Mr. Bonner and Committees — Remark- 
able Case, ..... 64-80 

VI Teaching Classes — Understanding Char- 
acter — Desirable Subjects, . . 81-92 

VII Art of Taming Horses — How Far Possible 

to Change Character, . . . 93-107 

VIII Secrets — Interesting Explanations — Cases 

in Point, . . ... 1 08-1 16 

IX An Interesting Experiment — A Peculiar 

Case, ...... 117-123 

X Efforts to Defeat Me — Dangerous Case — 

Noted Vicious Horses, . . , 124-135 

XI Startling Results — A Desperate Case — 

Interesting Incidents, . . . 136-143 



CONTENTS. 



XII Results of Slight Incidents— Trials in 
New York — Visit to Mr. Bonner — Ober- 

lin Incident, ..... 144-153 

XIII Managing Disorderly Crowds — Leaving 

the Road — Publishing My System, . 155-163 

XIV My Trained Horses and Ponies, . . 165-182 
XV Teaching Tricks, .... 183-288 

XVI Rarey — Inside Facts in Relation to Him 188-208 

XVII Art of Taming Horses — Importance of 

the Subject — Interesting Facts, . 209-218 

XVIII Temperaments and Intelligence, . 219-226 

XIX Strong Likes and Dislikes of Horses, . 226230 

XX Special Cases, ..... 231-241 

PART II — CRUELTY. 

XXI Checking, ..... 245-261 

XXII Blinders, . . . . . 263-276 

XXIII Docking and Nicking — Pest of Flies and 

Parasites, ..... 277-289 

XXIV Shoeing^How the Foot is Ruined, . 291-365 

XXV Cruelty in Training and Breaking, . 306-310 

XXVI Facts about the New Book, . . 311-320 



INTRODUCTION. 



There are some interesting facts leading to the prepara- 
tion of this little work which will, I think, be of sufficient 
interest to the general reader to make them worthy of being 
given a place here, as a proper introduction to what follows. 

Being requested to write a paper on cruelty, to be read 
before the American Humane Society, on its being read, there 




was a unanimous resolution that it Do given them for publica- 
tion. This led me, in rewriting and enlarging my regular 
work, to include in it such suggestions, with illustrations on 
cruelty, as I felt to be most called for. 

After this work was published, it occurred to me, in 
order to make this part more generally accessible, and there- 
by extend its usefulness, to publish it with additions in a sep- 
arate form, for the special use of humane societies and others 
interested in the subject. Before doing this, to have the high- 
est assurance of its being in every respect what it should be, 
the matter as prepared was submitted to a number of leatling 



8 INTRODUCTION. 

humanitarians for suggestion or criticism. After examination, 
it was suggested, as a necessary and important feature, that 
I should embody with it the story of my experience, in con- 
nection with the subject of equine subjection. Quoting the 
language used: — 

"Two essential features need to be added. This is im- 
perative. First your picture; then a sketch of your life of 
twenty years a teacher of men how to teach horses. Imagine 
this work sent out- without such a chapter But em- 
phatically, it is necessary that you give a narrative of your 
work, when it began, duration, difficulties, failure in health, 
etc. Don't you see, your incidents would be as interesting as 
any fiction? If you will do so, I will promise that it will not 
fail of being read as one of the most interesting and valuable 
chapters, and reach the circulation of millions." 

Led finally to act upon the suggestion, and submitting 
what I had prepared, it was next insisted that the subject 
was so important that it should be published as a special 
work. The question then came up to me. What should be 
done with the feature on cruelty? I concluded, finally, that 
in consequence of the autobiography being a natural out- 
growth of the preparation of this part, their being so depend- 
ent upon each other would justify putting them together. 

Being the author, and having made and introduced the 
most important discoveries in the art of taming and control- 
ling vicious horses, and demonstrating results in their con- 
trol that were undoubtedly far beyond what had ever been 
accomplished before my time, or since relinquishing such 
efforts, in connection with my long experience of over twenty 
years in lecturing on the subject and experimenting upon 
horses, will, I trust, be sufficient reason for acceptance with 
more than ordinary interest and confidence what is said in 
these pages. 

Many statements and incidents given in the following pages 
may be regarded as overdrawn, or so improbable as to be be- 
yond belief; but the utmost assurance may be felt that they 
are bvit the mere outline of facts drawn from the almost un- 
limited array of narrative, anecdote and adventure incident to 
my experience, and only another illustration of the saying 
that "Truth is often stranger than fiction." 



MEMOIRS 



INTRODUCTORY EXPLANATIONS. 



WHAT WAS KNOWN BEFORE MY TIME— DICK CHRISTIAN— JUMPER- 
BULL-IRISH WHISPERER— FANCHER- OFFUTT— RAREY— 
THE TRUTH ABOUT HIS SYSTEM. 




IN giving the story of my expe- 
rience, it will be interesting, by 



way of introduction, to ex- 
plain what was known before 
my time about the art of tam- 
ing horses. At various times 
during the last hundred years, 
there have been different men in this country and Europe 
who attracted some local attention by their pretensions of 
extraordinary powers to subdue and master vicious horses ; 
but when carefully investigated, their treatment was found 
to be but little more than the merest empiricism. The 
first among these, of whom I have any account, was Dick 
Christian, in England. His control was based upon the 
simple expedient of tying up the fore-leg, then mounting and 
riding the horse until he became submissive and gentle. 

An improvement upon this, and the first of which I find 
a published account, was by a man named Bull, who lived in 
Stanton-le-Vale, England, who had also a considerable local 
reputation for his exhibitions of power over horses. A corre- 
spondent of "Bell's Life," published in London, who paid 
Bull a guinea ($5.50) for the secret, described his method of 
treatment as follows: " First, buckle a surcingle around the 
body. Second, tie up the fore-leg by buckling a strap tightly 
[9] 



10 



MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 




around the foot and fore-arm. Next, attach a strap to the 
off fore-foot, bring it over the horse's back, and grasp it 
firmly with the right hand; with the left, catch the near rein 
of the bridle and pull his head around toward you, when the 

horse is made to step; then pull 
the foot around from under him, 
bringing him upon his knees, 
when in a short time he will 
lie down." The writer makes 
special reference, in this ac- 
count, to Bull's control of sev- 
eral horses, in making them lie 
Fig. 3. ~ down, get up, etc., at com- 

mand. This Bull made the most preposterous pretensions 
of power to subdue the most vicious horses. A little later a 
man named Jumper, of Yorkshire, England, claimed similar 
power. Like the others, he tried to keep his treatment a 
secret, but it was the same as Bull's. A correspondent of 
the Vetermarian, in referring to a certain horse given this 
man to break, states that "in ten days he returned him 

perfectly subdued, for he would 
rise up and lie down at command." 
About 1825 a man named 
Sullivan, better known as "The 
Irish Whisperer," who lived in 
Mallow, County of Cork, Ireland, 
was regarded as a phenomenon in 
this respect. It was Sullivan's 
custom to shut himself up in a 
building with the horse to be sub- 
dued, until he had him under control, when he would 
open the doors and exhibit the effects of his treatment 
upon him. The better to divert attention from the real 
secret of his control, while the horse was standing quietly, 
he would occasionally put his mouth to his ear as if whisper- 
ing something to him; hence the term, "Whispering Sulli- 





IN TR OD UC TOR V EXP LA NA TIONS. 11 

van." Many really believed Sullivan's control was super- 
natural. Though an ignorant man of the peasant class, and 
greatly addicted to drinking, he was smart enough to play 
upon the superstitions of the people to the utmost; for we are 
told that even the parish priest, whom we would suppose to 
be a man of considerable intelli- 
gence, whenever he saw Sullivan 
coming toward him in the street, 
believing he was in league with 
the devil, would cross himself and 
take the opposite side as a safe- 
guard against his supposed Satanic 
influence. Whispering in the Fis-s- 

horse's ear, with the use of other pretended power, was 
merely a blind; his method of control was the same as that 
practiced by Bull and others. Sullivan obtained the secret 
of a British soldier, who had been in service in America, 
where he obtained it. It seems that Sullivan treated him 
to a mug of porter, in gratitude for which the soldier im- 
parted to him the secret. 

The man in this country, first brought to my notice, 
claiming to possess exceptional 
secrets for controlling vicious 
horses, was O. H. P. Fancher, 
who claimed to have traveled in 
Mexico and among the Comanche 
Indians, and to have obtained his 
secrets from them; but this 
method was the same as that 
practiced by Bull, with the addi- Fig.b. 

tion of what he called his Arabian scent or secret. Mr. 
Fancher traveled as long ago as 1844, making the greatest 
pretensions of power he possessed over horses, and sold the 
pretended secret for extravagant sums. Many individuals, 
in different parts of the countr^^ who were members of ni}' 
classes, have informed me that they paid Mr. Fancher as 




13 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

high as from ten to fifty dollars for the secret, and in some 
cases, from two to three times the highest sum named. This 
method, however, was understood and taught long before 
Fancher's time, by Denton Offutt, a resident of George- 
town, Ky., and to him, undoubtedly, belongs the honor of 
having published the first explanation of this method of treat- 
ment, and of him it was obtained by John S. Rarey. It is 
well known, however, that it was known and practiced by 
circus men long before even Offutt's time. 

But the man above all others, who, by the boldness of 
his pretensions and apparent success, attracted the widest 
attention, was John S. Rarey, whose name and career is yet 
familiar to every one. Mr. Rarey set up the most positive 
pretensions of having himself discovered a secret by which he 
could subdue not only any horse, but even any animal in the 
world. He even went so far as to claim to understand a 
horse's every thought; that he had practiced upon horses from 
his early youth; that his discoveries were the result entirely 
of his own inherent genius; that in making such experiments 
he had had nearly every bone in his body broken, etc. But 
one of the most misleading as well as astonishing parts of his 
claims was what seemed to be incontrovertible proof by his 
being permitted to appear before the Queen and Court of 
England, and subduing a horse (Cruiser), claimed to have 
been so hopelessly vicious that to prevent his killing any one 
a brick building was constructed around him, in addition to 
which, there was an iron muzzle on him. These statements 
were accepted with such confidence that two thousand sub- 
scribers from among the nobilit)' of England paid him $50.00 
each to have taught them the assumed secret. 

There was nothing which misled and puzzled me so 
much as these facts (as indeed the)^ did everybody else), and 
to sift the matter to the bottom, cost me a good many years 
of the most patient, persistent effort. 

If such claims were true, the)^ might well be regarded as 
most startling; but they were not, as will be seen in the fact 



INTR OD UC TOR Y EXP LA NA TIONS. 13 

that his pretended secret was the same as that known and 
practiced long before him by Fancher, Offutt, and others, and 
was obtained by him of Offutt. In point of fact, he was sim- 
ply a bolder and more successful pretender. His success was 
entirely owing to the unparalleled sharp management of per- 
haps one of the ablest men in some respects this country ever 
produced (R. A. Goodenough), who from the background 
'manipulated the scheme with such consummate shrewdness as 
to baffle the world to penetrate the secret, until by persistent 
effort, and then only by the merest chance, I was able to un- 
ravel and authenticate the facts as given by me. 

A startling point which may also be mentioned here, is 
that Cruiser and the other horses referred to, upon the control 
of which he based his reputation, were not controlled by the 
treatment he claimed to have practiced upon them. He tried 
it and failed. They were controlled, and that only tempo- 
rarily, by a treatment which, had it been known at the time, 
would have at once destroyed his success and reputation. A 
still more surprising fact is that it is not true that Cruiser was 
so vicious that he had been shut up in a building to prevent 
his killing any one. He had, when necessary, been taken 
out of his stable daily without serious difficulty, and the iron 
muzzle which Rarey exhibited in this country, and which he 
claimed Cruiser had worn, was simply the baldest deception, 
the horse never having had an iron muzzle or anything of 
the kind on him. 

All the facts in relation to this subject I have thought 
of sufficient interest to include in another chapter, such 
explanations being necessary to clear away the great mis- 
conception in regard to his efforts. 



CHAPTER I. 



HOW I CAME TO ENGAGE IN THE BUSINESS— FIRST EFFORTS A FAIL- 
URE—MY FIRST CLASS THE RESULT OF AN ACCIDENT— SOURCES 
OF INSTRUCTION— AN INTERESTING INCIDENT. 




I 



N trying to give the story of my 
somewhat varied and checkered 
experience, I imagine myself sur- 
rounded by my half million of 
scholars^ by whom I am sure it 
will be received with more than or- 
^^s- 7- dinary interest. 

It may be well, also, to remark that I am particularly 
sensitive about referring to myself to an extent that might 
seem offensive in relating these incidents, but as the ob 
ject of this story is to give the facts as simply and plainly 
as I can, such repeated references to my personal efforts will, 
I trust, be pardoned. Please remember that I wish to tell 
the story as nearly as I can as it comes to me, and trust, 
therefore, it will be accepted in the spirit in which it is offered. 
I may explain, also, by way of introduction, that I never 
felt that I had any special predilection or gift for the study 
of the horse; indeed, it always seemed to me that somehow I 
was out of my sphere; even at my periods of greatest success, 
I was often embarrassed for explanations to put myself right 
with the public. That people should attach such great 
importance to what seemed to me so simple, was one of the 
unexplainable enigmas to me. It would seem as if it must 
be somebody else all the time, for in comparison with 
the great average of men I felt myself to be a very humble 
instrument. But, on the other hand, there were the undeni- 
able resuUs that, when fairly considered, were often certainly 

[14] 



FIRST EFFORTS. 



15 



surprising; and I may say they were really as much a surprise 
to myself as they could be to others. I felt, in a word, as if 
I were only groping, as it were, to catch the secrets of a very 
broad and interesting subject, and the results I was able to 
accomplish seemed to me to be often more a matter of mere 
good luck than of skill; but there they were, and I had to 
accept them for what they were worth. It was the knowl- 
edge of these results that gave me confidence to persevere 
and win success. 

At the age of fourteen 1 was brought from Ireland. 
Thrown entirely upon my 
own resources, I engaged in 
learning the carriage-making 
business, becoming so suc- 
cessful that before I became 
of age I was conducting 
business for myself, and took 
the first premiums at the 
fairs in my vicinity, Bradford 
County, Pennsylvania. 

During this period, an 
incident led to my becom- 
ing owner of a horse of pe- 
culiar character, the man- 
agement of which so interested me that I was led to give 
special attention to the subject. As this incident had finally 
so important a bearing upon my after life, it will be of in- 
terest to give the facts. 

One morning I was unexpectedly called upon by a 
stranger, a prominent physician from Towanda. He stated 
that he had a nice, small mare, which he offered me, without 
conditions, for anything I had to trade for her. I had never 
owned a horse, had no use for one, and so stated, but 
being urged to make an offer, I secured her at a merely nom- 
inal price. I was aware that there must be something seri- 
ous the matter with her, but just what he would not inform 




Fig. 8. — The author at twenty-five years of 
age, when he took itp this work. 



16 



MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 



me, and I could not tell, and concluded to try her first for 
balking. 

Supposing she must at any rate go if the wagon did not 
pull upon her, I first hitched her to a buggy on sharply 
descending ground. After going a short distance, though 
the wagon was really pushing her, she suddenly stopped, and 




Fig. Q. — A noted vicious horse 



in spite of all I could do, stubbornly refused to move. This 
of course at once revealed to me what she was. After trying 
patiently for some time to start her, and failing, as an experi- 
ment I struck her lightly over the hip with the whip to see if 
I could startle her into moving, when she instantly threw 
herself down, proving herself to be one of the very worst 
balkers imaginable, and showing also that in the effort to 
break her she had been the subject of great abuse. 



AN EXPERIMENT. 17 

Not knowing anything about the management of the 
habit, it became a serious puzzle to me to ascertain how I 
should control her. But to prevent my being made a sub- 
ject of ridicule by failure, I felt bound, if within the range of 
possibility, to drive her. 

I may mention here in parenthesis that I learned after- 
ward that this mare had been for years traded around among 
the jockeys of that (Bradford) and neighboring counties, and 
was regarded by them so incorrigibly stubborn in the habit as 
to be worthless. The man who sold her to me, finding what 
he had, and that it was impossible to get rid of her where she 
was known, came to me with the determination to dispose of 
her for what he could get. 

This thought came to me: "I don't know any patent 
way, but by taking time enough I am confident of being able 
to manage you." I accordingly unhitched her from the 
shafts, got her up, tied up the harness, pulled the buggy to 
the foot of the hill, and led her there. I next went into an 
orchard and filled my pockets with the best apples I could 
find, then pulled the wagon to a back road, leading the mare. 
Standing near her head, I touched her lightly over the hips 
with a switch, saying, " Get up." This of course caused her 
to start. After going a few steps, I called "Whoa! " at the 
same time pulling upon the reins, when she stopped, for 
which I gave her a piece of apple and stroked her nose and 
head. This I repeated until she learned to start and stop at 
command. 

This point gained, I then untied the reins, and while 
standing at the shoulder and holding the reins slack in my 
hands, repeated the command for starting, at the same time 
touching her lightly over the hips. At each repetition I 
stood a little farther and farther back until able to get 
directly behind her, and make her go or stop at command. 
This point accomplished, I next took her to a point of 
slightly descending grade for some distance on the road and 

2 



18 



MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 



hitched her to the wagon. This was, of course the critical 
point of the experiment that I was working for, and it was 
important that I should take no chances of failure; so I com- 
menced again in the same cautious manner at the head, start- 
ing, stopping and rewarding, at the same time letting her go 
a little farther and farther, until I was able to get on the step 
and finally into the wagon, at each repetition being careful to 
reward her, even getting out of the wagon to do so. It was 




AM Will arc) 



The noted vieions horse in one of his acts 



soon amusing to see how eagerly she would reach around 
her head in anticipation of her reward. Then I gradually 
required her to go. a little farther at each time of starting, 
until finally able to drive fifteen or twenty rods, being of course 
careful to stop her inside the limit of what I felt she would 
bear. 

This point well accomplished, I took her out of harness, 
put her into the stable and had her treated with the best of 
care. The next day I hitched her up again, when I com- 
menced as before, but now spending only a few minutes, 
requiring her to go farther and faster until up to the point of 



SURPRISING SUCCESS. 19 

a sharp trot or run. Again the next morning, before hitching 
her up, as a matter of precaution, I repeated this lesson 
slightly, just enough to start and stop her a few times, when 
I was soon able to drive her as I pleased. The secret 
of success was, that I made the lesson short, and was 
careful not to do more than she would bear at a time. I 
could make her stop and start when going up or down hill, 
or even in a mudhole, and she would stand as long as I 
wished, and then at command pull out gently. The result 
was that in a short time she developed into one of the pleas- 
antest and gentlest of driving mares in that section of the coun- 
try. Those who knew her were surprised to see me drive 
her, and regarded it as a great feat.* 

Becoming in this way interested in the subject, I soon 
became the owner of horses of various kinds and habits, and 
found myself forced to the task of trying to break them. 
Learning thus incidentally that by certain methods of treat- 
ment I could really, to a certain extent, change the charac- 
ter, I became interested to see how far I could win success 
in this direction. And so, without premeditation I was led 
to direct my special attention to the subject. 

A startling fact was soon revealed to me, which was that 
there was really nothing known upon the art of subjection, 
beyond the practice of a few tricks; that there were no text 
books or anything of the kind to guide in this new and unique 
field of effort. So I was obliged, as it were, to grope in the 
dark in breaking for myself a fresh pathway from the results 
of my own observation and experience. Certainly there was 
nothing at all approaching anything like well-defined princi- 
ples or conditions. Surely nothing was more foreign to my 
mind than the thought of engaging in such a business or to 



*0n page 306, are given some interesting facts reported to me of 
the remarkable results that may be accomplished in the control of balk- 
ers by this simple method of good management. By my regular sys- 
tem even the worst of balkers can be managed with great ease and suc- 
cess. 



30 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

make it a special study. I was betrayed into doing so by the 
following chance circumstance: — 

Yielding to the impulse of desiring to see something of 
the outside world, I closed out my business and made a tour 
through the Southern States. Upon returning North, while 
staying over night with a farmer named A. L. Burns, who 
lived in Dunning, Lackawanna Co., Pa., he incidentally told 
me that he had a fine young stallion, which was of so vicious a 
character that he was unable to do anything with him. While 
the gentleman was milking, the next morning, the impulse 
took me to go to the barn and look at the horse, when, upon 
seeing him, it occurred to me, as a good joke upon the 
owner, to give him a few minutes' training and thereby, when 
the opportunity presented, surprise him with the change in 
his character. After breakfast, as I expected, I was invited 
out to the barn to see the colt. Looking at him with apparent 
unconcern, I opened the door and walked into his stall, when 
to the astonishment of Mr. Burns, the horse not only per- 
mitted me to handle him as I pleased, but followed me 
around as gentle as an ordinary pet.* 

The change in the horse's character seemed so great that 
the owner in wonder asked me if I had not been doing some- 
thing with him. Replying that I had a little conference with 
him before breakfast, he at once offered me fifty dollars if I 
would show him what I did with him. Feeling that so large an 
amount of money for so little knowledge was entirely too 
much, and that I could not reasonably take it, and yet, wish- 
ing the money, on the impulse of the moment it occurred to 
me to say, that if he would get ten of his neighbors together, 
I would teach them all for that amount. I did not, how- 
ever, have the least idea that he would make an effort to do 
so, or that, even if he should try he would succeed; but 
shortly afterward I was surprised — and really frightened — 
to see him coming toward me, followed by a number of 

* This was the same horse that nearly eighteen years afterward was, 
on account of his extreme viciousness, shot in Middletown, N. Y. 



AN EXCITING INCIDENT. 21 

his neighbors, holding a lot of bills in his hand which he 
offered me.* Realizing that I was in a bad corner, I never 
felt more embarrassed in my life. I quickly recovered myself, 
however, and putting on as bold a front as I could, I 
announced myself as at their service. 

There happened to be in the neighborhood one of the 
most exceptionally vicious mares I ever saw before or since. 
When turned loose she would run at a man with the ferocity 
of a bull-dog. This mare was quietly secured, and when 
ready to commence my instructions, with my would-be pupils 
overhead and out of the way, according to a concerted plan, 
she was without warning turned in upon me. With eyes 
fairly flashing with fire, open mouth, and ear.s laid back, she 
ran for me with such a vicious expression that I instantly 
saw my onlv safety was to get out of the way, so turned and 
sprang head foremost over a girt and partition, to the ground 
beyond, which was covered with stones and limbs — a fall of 
about eight feet. The incident had such an important bear- 
ing upon my after efforts that I thought it advisable to make 
an illustration of it. See figure ii. 

Upon coming to myself (for I was considerably stunned), 
I saw the mare looking down upon me with a most vicious 
expression, and the class was convulsed with laughter at my 
defeat. 

I felt so indignant that, without warning, the}' should sub- 

* It occurred to me, while preparing this article, that it would be of 
sufficient interest to write to Mr. Burns for the names of those compris- 
ing this class. After much trouble in obtaining his address (having 
heard nothing from him for over twenty years), I wrote him and 
received the following statement:— 

" So far as I can remember, the names of the men in the class at my 
house were J. D. Burns, Prompton, Pa.; J. E. Meyers, Canaan, Wayne 
Co., Pa.; J. S. Collins, Keyser, Lackawanna Co., Pa.; Andrew Coss, 
Canaan, Lackawanna Co., Pa.; Alva C. Bcmecr, Canaan, Lackawanna 
Co., Pa.; L. C. Darte, Ariel, Wayne Co., Pa.; Jason Meyers, and myself. 

"Your friend, 

" A. L. Burns, 

"Dunning, Lackawanna Co., Pa." 



A LUCKY HIT. 23 

ject me to such danger, that I was bound at all hazards to 
succeed; but, How ? was the question, for there certainly 
seemed no possible way of doing it, and I was apparently 
checkmated. I had a common slip-noose halter in my hand, 
which I had fortunately retained when I jumped over the girt. 
This gave me an important clue, and I looked around for 
some means of making use of it. I found a piece of a tree 
limb, and hanging the head piece of the halter upon its end, I 
carefully lifted it up and succeeded in dropping it upon her 
head. With the halter on, I next put the end of the stick 
against her jaw to keep her from me, and at the same time 
cautiously climbed upon the girt. Getting as short a hold of 
the halter as I could, I took the chances of jumping to the floor 
toward her tail, which I was fortunately able to catch. The mo- 
mentum of my jumping pulled her head after and threw her 
hind parts from me. This I improved upon by running and 
pulling her head around after me in a circle a few times. Dis- 
abling and over-matching her in this way so confused and 
disconcerted her that for a moment she was really helpless to 
do me any harm. 

With this advantage, I was able to make the next point 
with safety — tying up her leg and throwing her several times 
rapidly (a method of treatment explained on page 107, well 
known to me at the time), after which I put on the simplest 
form of what I term in my book the War Bridle. The crud- 
est form of its use I had just caught at the time, wiih the ad- 
vantage of which I soon succeeded, not only in making her 
submissive, but in having her follow me around, the entire 
experiment not occupying more than from five to seven min- 
utes. The result was, that an incident which a few minutes 
before seemed certain defeat was made a great success. The 
emergency forced me to take my chances, as the only way 
out of a bad corner. 

During my long and varied experience afterward, I had 
many severe trials with vicious horses, but under the circum- 
stances — taken suddenly as I was, without any practical 



24 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

knowledge of the subject — I regard this Httle incident as 
one of the most interesting of my whole life. The novelty 
and excitement of it made a remarkable impression upon me. 
It seemed as if there had been a new side of my nature sud- 
denly stirred into life, which, to a singular degree, made me 
feel like repeating the experiment, and in this way I was led 
into making the subject a special study. Thus, it will be 
seen, I was without premeditation carried into a current of 
thought and effort lasting for many years, which for varied 
and severe trials, but few perhaps of any age or profession 
have ever approached or experienced. 

Thrown entirely upon my own resources, and feeling that 
it was one of the most interesting as well as promising fields 
of investigation to v/hich attention could be directed, I was 
encouraged to persevere. My efforts at first, however, 
resulted in a signal failure, for notwithstanding all that I 
could do, for nearly two weeks I was unable to accomplish 
anything. But the seeming seriousness of the difficulties 
onl}^ served to nerve me to greater effort. 

I may explain, in this connection, that I suffered here 
from a natural disability, which was always a source of em- 
barrassment to me, that of being very much undersized; be- 
sides being more than ordinarily diffident, with but poor ad- 
dress, in every way, in fact, seemingly unfitted to make 
anything like a favorable impression upon the critical class of 
people I was compelled to deal with. I finally succeeded, 
however, in making a small class, and with the ice once broken, 
I was soon able to make a number of classes in succession. 

At this point, an incident, though trifling in itself, be- 
came the turning point in starting the tide of my success. 
At a small place across the river from Amsterdam, (Hunters- 
ville), when about organizing a class there, three men came 
to me, requesting a private interview. This having been 
granted, they stated that they had been members of ray class 
the week before at Minaville, a neighboring borough, and 
that they were not satisfied, and came to get their money 



A SCHEME THWARTED. 25 

back; at the same time they assured me that if I would give 
it to them they would do nothing to interfere with my efforts 
there, but would do all they could to aid me; on the contrary 
if I did not do so, they would not only denounce me, and 
thereby destroy the success of my efforts in that place, but 
would compel me to pay it. 

Indignant at the way the demand was made, I at once 
called the people around me, and stated the facts to them. 
Then confronting the men, I told them I could not give back 
the money, unless I gave it to every other member of the 
class; and on the impulse of the moment I gave notice that I 
would go back to Minaville, where they and all the rest of the 
class could have their money back, if they wanted it; but that 
on no condition would I pay money to anyone following me 
up in any such way.* 

Anticipating that there would be a determined effort to 
break me down, if possible, and bound to succeed, after ful- 
filling my engagements there, the day before my appointment 
I went back and scoured the neighborhood for suitable sub- 
jects to experiment upon. Succeeding finally in finding a 
runaway kicker that had not been in harness for a year, by 
paying a liberal price and giving the owner a ticket to the 
class. I secured him. 

At the time of appointment there was a large assem- 
blage, when, after a careful review of instructions, I experi- 
mented upon this horse and was entirely successful in his 
control. I now explained the facts, and holding in my hands 
the money formerly paid me there, I invited all who were in 
the least dissatisfied, to come forward and get their money. 
No one responded, however, or expressed dissatisfaction. 



* It was one of my strict rules then, as well as one that I maintained 
dui-ing my entire career, to keep nothing back from the public; to make 
no underhanded bargains, nor do anything that would not bear the full- 
est investigation. I made one rule in particular, that anyone not feel- 
ing himself entirely satisfied could, by so expressing himself to me |)ri- 
vately or publicly, have his money back. 



26 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

There was, on the contrary, a general expressioTi of the most 
hearty satisfaction, even those who had demanded their money 
expressing regret, and acknowledging themselves more than 
satisfied, one of them saying that he had experimented upon a 
horse of his with such success that he would not take $50 for 
what he had learned. This of course turned the tide of senti- 
ment so entirely in my favor as to immediately result in their 
passing resolutions of heartiest endorsement of ni}^ efforts, 
which were published in the county papers. For some time 
afterward it was not uncommon for citizens in different neigh- 
borhoods to club together to form classes for me, and in this 
way I was often invited back to the same places several times 

in succession. 

SOURCES OF INSTRUCTION. 

Compelled to experiment almost constantly upon all 
classes of vicious horses, I had the best possible opportunities 
for studying not only their temperaments and habits, but also 
the conditions and principles of most successfull}' meeting 
the difficulties presented. 

During these first years, my treatment was necessarily 
very imperfect and experimental. Then it seemed a great 
feat, many times, to make a wild or unbroken colt of ordinary 
good character sufficiently gentle to submit to be handled, or 
ridden, to follow, etc. There was not, of course, any such 
thing thought of or attempted by me, as driving a vicious or 
kicking runaway horse before a class, or an}/ other feat of con- 
trol, showing the closely defined, effective treatment of my 
later years. 

The trials, too, by which I was almost constantly hamp- 
ered and embarrassed, were, without my knowing it, of the 
greatest benefit to me, because by my being in this wa}/ 
driven constantly to the utmost limit of what I ccmld do, the}' 
were the best possible means of forcing me to such effort as 
to bring into activity all the resources of my nature, in order 
to hold ray own, and thus they became the real key and 
secret of ni}' ultimate success. At first, I necessarily made 



AN INC WENT IN POINT. 27 

failures; but when I did, I felt unwilling to let them rest so, 
and often at great inconvenience and expense, I went back 
and repeated the experiment privatel}' until successful. At 
one time, in order to do so, I actually made a drive of nearly 
one hundred miles with a loss of nearly a week's time and at 
much expense. 

AN INCIDENT IN POINT. 

At Vienna, N. Y. , I failed upon a horse brought in by 
Dr. Carpenter, at the time a leading physician there, which 
caused me the loss of a large class. Before leaving I told the 
doctor that I was unwilling to let the experiment rest so, and 
that after filling my appointments I would come back and treat 
the case privately. I accordingly drove straight back and ex- 
perimented upon the case, when I was successful. Tiie gener- 
ous-minded doctor, not anticipating that I would come back, 
met me upon my return with the most puzzled expres- 
sion, as if to say, "Well, I never expected to see you again." 
But after I had made a success in the treatment of the case, 
he was so enthusiastic that he insisted upon my repeating the 
lesson, when by his personal efforts, all the old scholars came 
back, with quite an accession of new ones, and the result was 
a decided success. Upon coming together, in fact, they were 
so enthusiastic, as to unanimously vote that they would be 
satisfied. 

It was one of my strict rules, when I heard of a peculiar 
case, to secure an opportunity at any cost or effort for ex- 
perimenting upon it. Farther on, an instance is related, how, 
at considerable expense, I changed my entire route for weeks 
so as to secure an opportunity of experimenting upon a spe- 
cially difficult case. My idea was this: Here is a case from 
which I can learn something; and no surgeon or chemist 
could have been more interested in the results of such experi- 
ments. Not only at much loss of time and at great expense, 
but without compensation, I in this wa}' made many of the 
most interesting and important experiments in my career, 
some of which are referred to farther on. 



CHAPTER II. 



DRIVING A. STALLION AA/^ITHOUT REINS— IMPORTANT DISCOVERY— 

THE Noted Roberts horse— special feats 

—AMUSING INCIDENT. - 




ARLY in my experience I felt 
the necessity of having some 
means by which I could more 
easily, attract and hold public at- 
tention. My first effort in this di- 
rection was in securing a pair of 
Fig- 13- elks and trying to train them to 

drive; but finding them too old and wild to make their con- 
trol reliable, I was compelled to give them up. At this point 
I chanced to see a horse driven in the street without the con- 
trol of bridle or reins, merely by motions of a whip, and I de- 
cided that that was just the thing.* 

I immediately secured the first young stallion I could find 
suitable for the purpose. I purchased him of Squire Cole, of 
Smithville, Jefferson Co., N. Y. Though entirely unbroken 
and of an exceptionally vicious character, — in fact one of the 
most unsuitable horses for such a purpose I could well have 



* It will be interesting to note that the originator of this unique fea- 
ture of training, afterward made so prominent and popular through the 
country by myself and others, was a woman, — Mrs. Fred Bunnell, a res- 
ident of Wellsboro, Tioga county, Pa. She owned an exceptionally in- 
telligent and fine-tempered stallion, — just the kind of a horse to train 
easily, and not resist control. Among other things, she trained him to 
be guided and controlled in driving by the motions of a whip. This 
horse was exhibited by her at Chemung, and other county fairs in that 
part of the State of New York. Passing out of her hands, he was pur- 
chased by Mr. A. H. Rockwell, or rather by a member of the family, 
who exchanged a pair of mules for him. Mr. Rockwell tried to give ex- 
hibitions with him in halls, but failed to make it remunerative. He 
[281 



IMPORTANT DISCOVERY. 29 

found, — after much trouble, I was finally so successful in 
training him that I was enabled in two weeks, with 
entire safety, to give an exhibition with him. This horse 
afterwards developed into one of the most sagacious and reli- 
able horses ever exhibited in this way.* 

With this advantage I now struck out with renewed suc- 
cess. Soon after, I made the first really important discovery 
in the art of subjection, given in my regular work as the 
Second Method of Subjection. This was really a great stride, 
from which dated my pronounced success in the control 
of wild or vicious colts. 

This discovery was of so much importance and interest 
that I may refer to an interesting circumstance in connection 
with it. A young horse had been brought in for experiment 
that had kicked and run awa}', and was so wild and danger- 
ous that he could not with safety be brought near or hitched 
to shafts. After working upon him two hours, aided by mem- 
bers of the class, resulting not only in a complete failure, but 
in completely exhausting me, when all seemed lost, on 
the impulse of the moment, like an inspiration, the secret 
came to me how to meet the emergency, and I was instantly 
enabled to see that I had made the greatest and most impor- 
tant discover}' that had ever been made upon the subject up to 
that time, which was demonstrated b}' my now being able to 
make the horse entirely gentle, and this without the least ex- 
ertion or excitement, within ten minutes. 



next drove him in the streets with a whip, and without reins, and en- 
gaged in teaching the Rarey System, which at this time had been 
taught quite extensively throughout the country. 

These facts were given me by Mr. Bunnell, the husband of the lady 
who trained the stallion, who was afterward a member of my class in 
Wellsboro. At the time of my visit there, my canvas was pitched upon 
his ground. The statements were also corroborated by various other 
parties, including Mr. Hulbert, Mr. Rockwell's brother-in-law, who trav- 
eled with him. 

*This was my old horse Turco, referred to in another part of this 
work. 



30 



MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 



In the fall of the same year I subdued the first really 
dangerous horse of my experience. This horse I had heard 
about for weeks as an extraordinary case; one supposed to be so 
dangerously vicious as to make it practically impossible to do 
anything with him. For weeks I thought about the case, and 




Fig. 13, — Roberts horse in one of his vicious acts. 

though from all I could learn, it seemed a desperate risk, 
which I had been repeatedly cautioned to have nothing to do 
with, I finally concluded that, whatever the risk, it was indis- 
pensable to my success to go there and take him in hand. As 
it was my first really serious case, in connection with the pecu- 
liar circumstances under which he was treated, with the fact 
of my limited experience at the time, and being also a good 
illustration as showing the ease with which a naturall}^ gentle 



THE NOTED ROBERTS HORSE. 31 

horse may be spoiled by bad treatment, it will be of interest 
to give the particulars in relation to it. This was the noted 
Roberts horse, in Utica, N. Y. He was a fine young stallion, 
owned by a gentleman named Roberts, at the time one of the 
prominent members of the city government. 

This horse had previously been of such exceptionally 
good character that he was used as a family driver. A 
groom, in the habit of drinking occasionally, was employed to 
take charge of him, and to make the horse show up, was in 
the habit of whipping him until he grew vicious and got to 
fighting. The owner, hearing of this, discharged the man, 
and took charge of the horse himself; when, the first he knew, 
the horse pitched suddenly at him, biting him, and undoubt- 
edly would have killed him had not two men who happened 
near driven the horse off with rails. 

When I went there, the horse had been confined to his 
stall for seven months, and fed through a hole or window in the 
wall, it not being considered safe for anyone to go near him. 
In consequence of his serious injuries, Mr. Roberts was yet 
confined to his room, a helpless invalid. Upon the object of 
my visit to Utica becoming known, the citizens united in 
insisting that I should first subdue this horse. Consenting 
to make the experiment, I was accompanied to Mr. Roberts' 
residence in the upper part of the city by the Butterfield 
brothers, one of them proprietor of a large livery stable, and 
the other better known since as Major General Butterfield; 
also by Mr. Golden, a well known merchant and horseman, 
and the reporters of the Telegraph and Utica Herald. 

When these gentlemen saw the really dangerous charac- 
ter of the horse, fearing I would get injured and they cen- 
sured for it, they unanimously requested that I would have 
nothing to do with him, saying that if I would not, they 
would do all they could to help me form a class. I replied 
that the)' need not borrow any trouble about me; that I would 
take all the chances; that the experiment must be made, and 
I only wished them to keep out of my way. 



32 



MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 



I was fortunately able to get the horse out of his stall 
without serious difficulty, and into a small yard or open wagon 
house, on one side of which was a loft or haymow, where the 
gentlemen referred to seated themselves beyond the reach of 
possible harm. Having the horse out in the yard, controlled 
by two long ropes fastened to his bridle and held by myself 
and assistant, I may say I never felt more anxious or appre- 
hensive for my safety in my life. I had made no preparation 
whatever, and really I did 
not know what to do. I had 
no settled plan of manage- 
ment, but something had to 
be done, and trusting en- 
tirely to the inspiration of the 
moment, I was finally so suc- 
cessful that within ten min- 
utes I had him under my com- 
plete control. 

But my friends little knew 
the desperate risk I had 
really run; for at one point 
the turning of a finger in the 
way of a mistake would have 
certainly cost me my life; but 
succeeding, the result was regarded as brilliant. I ordered 
the horse to be put to work at once, and treated with great 
kindness, and he continued so gentle afterwards that he was 
again used as a family driving horse by the owner. 

After this experiment, and teaching a number of classes, 
I wrote the first edition of the little work entitled "The New 
System of Training Horses," which was published by the 
Utica Herald Company. 

PRESS NOTICES. 

I continued my efforts in this part of the State of New 
York, until the fall of the next year (1863), when I went to 
Maine, where my work first attracted real attention. To 




An ideal head. 



PJ^L'SS NOTICES. 33 

show something of the importance attached to my efforts 
there, I quote a few paragraphs from the press of the State 
at the time: — 

"Mr. Magner, the horse-tamer, has been in Portland 
during the past week, and has created a great stir among our 
horsemen Such success, in so brief a period, is un- 
usual. His exhibitions have been very interesting, and have 
satisfactorily demonstrated his ability to bring the most un- 
manageable horses entirely under his control. 

"An innocent colt, fresh from the countr}', was intro- 
duced, and in a few minutes acted the part of a well-trained 
horse; then came a spirited mare, whose stubbornness was not 
so readily, though no less surely, overcome; an old stager, 
which had for years defied every farrier in the county, but 
after a five minutes' training stood quiet as a lamb while his 
feet were handled and hammered in true blacksmith style. 
A splendid animal whose principal fault seemed to be an un- 
usual fright at the sight of an umbrella, in a very short space of 
time stood unmoved as one of these articles was placed before 
and moved about his body, and when at last it was held 
above and dropped upon his head, he appeared to regard it 
with far more of complacency than of fear. A puller on a bit 
was also beaten at his own game, and yielded handsomely. 

"Whatever the tricks and eccentricities of which the 
animals brought forward were guilty, they found more than 
their match in the horse-tamer, who did not in a single 
instance let a horse pass out of his hands till he could truth- 
fully say, 'I have you, sir.' He was asked to test his skill 
still further on a vicious mule which was brought in and turned 
loose m the ring. He was indeed a villainous fellow, and not 
at all agreeable in his manners, refusing to be bridled or han- 
dled, and meeting every one who approached him with an un- 
desirable display of his heels; but in less than fifteen minutes 
his whole demeanor was changed, and he remained perfectly 
quiet while he was again and again haltered, mounted on all 
sides, and handled from head to foot, and finally led out per- 
fectly submissive. The change was wonderful, and called 
forth great applause." — Po7-tla7id Transcript. 

"Mr. Magner, whose equestrian feats have excited the 
wonder of our citizens, has left the city in order to fulfil numer- 
ous engagements in the country. It is very fortunate for him 
that this is not an age when men are executed for witchcraft. 



34 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

Had he lived in Salem in 1692, and exhibited as he has here 
his power over refractory horses, as sure as fate he would 
have been hanged for a wizard. Indeed, we are not certain 
that he does not practice some sort of v/itchery in his manage- 
ment of horses. No one can form an idea of his wonderful 
power over them, until he witnesses proof of it. To see a 
horse furious, stubborn, defiant, with a very devil in his eye, 
jn a few moments, by some mysterious power, calmed down, 
rendered docile, patiently submissive, and allowing every lib- 
erty to be taken with him — in a word, the evil spirit which 
had possessed the animal completely exorcised — you can 
hardly credit it, although the marvelous transformation takes 
place under your naked eye. A knowledge of Mr. Magner's 
theory of subduing the horse must be invaluable to all own- 
ers of the animal." — Portland Advertiser, 1864. 

After my campaign in Maine I traveled through Ver- 
mont, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Western New York and 
Ohio. 

In the meantime I trained several other horses to drive 
without reins, until in 1867 I had six stallions trained to 
drive in this manner, double or single. 

SPECIAL FEATS. 

Learning the importance of startling the people all T 
could, I was led to add other features to my advertisements. 
For example, when in Maine, I advertised that, daily, before 
the regular exhibition in the street, I would take any wild, 
unbroken colt that could be produced, and within twenty 
minutes make him so gentle as to take him into the street, 
there being upon him no bridle or halter, and by control of 
the whip only, make him follow and submit to be ridden 
or handled in any manner. The point of interest, of 
course, was the perfect docility and obedience of the colt 
when exhibited, and the shortness of the time in which so 
great a change would be accomplished. 

This I afterward changed to driving within twenty min- 
utes, any kicking, runaway colt, without breeching. The 
only condition being, that the people should remain in' the 



SPECIAL FEATS. 35 

town or the place where I started from, when I would drive 
outside the town, leading the colt, and within the time 
named, drive him back to my buggy, entirely gentle. To 
make the feat as startling as I could, upon hitching up the 
colt I turned loose my trained horse (Turco) in advance of 
me, drove in on a rapid trot or run, and upon reaching the 
crowd would throw the reins from me over the horse's head at 
the same time calling, "Whoa," when he would instantly 
stop, and this with the breeching strap loose, letting the 
cross-piece of the shafts come against the quarters. Such a 
change, in so short a time, in connection with being pro- 
duced so quickly and under such 
unfavorable circumstances, 
would of course be considered 
startling. 

Whatever I did with my 
own horses would be regarded ^ 
as a matter of course; but the Fig i:, ~a pau of stallions as driven 

wish would be, to see one of by the author. 

their horses, that I never saw before, controlled in like man- 
ner; and to combat this feeling I was forced to perform these 
little feats. 

To obtain a horse that was known to have been very vic- 
ious, and especially one that had caused a serious accident, 
was always a great advantage to me; for this reason I made it 
a point, if possibe, to secure such cases. In performing these 
feats I was often compelled to take very narrow chances. 
There being such a desire to see what I did, many people 
would, in consequence, follow me so closely that it was fre- 
quently with extreme difficulty that I could secure the few 
moments privacy necessary to subject the horse to treatment; 
but as it was in the apparent narrowness of the chances I 
took where the real greatness and interest of the feat seemed 
to lie, I aimed, and was often compelled, to go as near to 
the line of danger and what appeared to be impossible, as 
I dared, and yet succeed. 




36 



MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 




Ftg lb — All oidinary case 



AMUSING INCIDENT. 

I also made it a point to take advantage of chance inci- 
dents, as far as I could. For instance, once, while in a small 
country town where I was unknown, a jockey, because I 
would not give him a free ticket to my lecture, 'made the 
boast that I should not form a class there. He boldly stated 
in the presence of a large crowd of people, that he could do 
anything with a horse that I could, etc., and offering to bet a 

large sum of money that he could 
produce a horse that I could not 
ride. He knew that I heard his 
bragging, and as I made no reply, 
he, as well as the people, supposed 
that I was afraid to take exception 
to the statement, or defend myself. 

Waiting my opportunity, I stepped forward, saying that 
though I made it a rule to have no controversy with any one, 
under the circumstances I felt called upon to notice the state- 
ment made, and if the gentleman would produce his horse, 
we would soon settle the matter. He replied that I could 
not do it and carry a pail on my an/i, which gave me just the 
clue I wished. I replied with apparent indifference, "That 

is nothing; after a few minutes' 
private conference with your horse 
he will permit me to ride him and 
carry a pail or anything else with- 
out trouble." He objected to this, 
saying, I must do it right in the 
'^^ Fig n-0>dinan 7cuiits opg^ street. I replied, that my 
work was a secret, and this was a part of it that I did not 
propose making public. 

Knowing that simply to prevent the horse from hearing 
would enable me to ride him without trouble, I provided m}'- 
self with some cotton batting, and the moment the stable 
doors were closed upon me and the horse, I stuffed both his 




RESULT OF A TRIFLING INCIDENT. 37 

ears with it. Not able now to hear the rattle of the pail, he, 
of course, submitted to be mounted and ridden upon the street 
at once, apparentl}^ indifferent to it.* 

My jockey friend now claimed that he could do as much. 
This was my opportunity, and, I felt bound to make the most 
of it; so to make it the more startling, I said, "I will make 
him so that you can or cannot ride him. Which wa}^ will 
you have it?" He said, " I'll bet I can ride him." I replied 
"Very well; I want an opportunity to privately talk to the 
horse, and tell him what to do, and then we will see." 
Gaining this point, the doors were shut Upon me, which was 
what I wished. I now took the cotton out of his ears, and to 
make sure of my point, rattled the pail around him so as to 
frighten and excite him all I could. The consequence was 
what I anticipated; when the door was opened, and the man 
tried to ride him, carrying the pail, the horse was so fright- 
ened and excited by it, that he became unmanageable and 
got away, the fellow being thrown off. This excited the 
greatest curiosity, many believing the horse really understood 
me, and only did what I told him, — all resulting, as I antici- 
pated, in my making a large class. When I explained to 
them that this was a mere trick — not by any means part of 
my treatment — it was accepted as a good joke, and created 
great amusement. 

RESULT OF A TRIFLING INCIDENT. 

My success at Augusta, the capital of Maine, was en- 
tirely the result of an incident of the most trifling character. 
There being no apparent interest in my efforts there, I was 
about leaving the city, when a leading member of the Legis- 
lature wished me to look at a horse he had purchased the da}^ 
before. Upon the horse being brought forward, I noticed 



* The famous trainer, John Splan, in his work recently published, 
" Life with the Trotters," has struck upon this plan in the management 
of certain conditions of sensibility and resistance. He refers particu- 
larly to his success with it in the management of a nervous horse. 



38 MEMOIRS OF MA-GNER. 

that he was a fine, intelligent fellow; and seeing a little 
switch on the ground near me, it occurred to me to take it up 
quietly, and without attracting attention, to train the horse to 
follow me. I passed the switch over his shoulder gentl}', 
bringing the end of it against the opposite side of his head, 
and while talking to the man, tapped the head lightly with it 
a few times, to teach the horse to step around a little. All 
the while unobserved, I turned it back, touched him sharply 




Fig. i8. — A feat performed by the author in a few inimites before his classes 
tipon any unbroken colt. 

upon the hip, let it drop on the ground on the opposite side 
and walked forward, when he followed me around freel}'. The 
owner, not seeing me do anything with him, was so astonished 
to see the horse follow me in this wa}^ that he told the circum- 
stance to his friends, of course greatly magnifying it. Ac- 
cording to his report, I had simply looked at the horse, and 
the horse at me, and after walking around a little with him, 
he would follow me anywhere, — a magical result. This be- 
coming known, the curiosity of the people was so great that I 
was requested to give an exhibition, which was attended by 
the leading citizens and members of the Legislature. 



RESULT OF A TRIFLING INCIDENT 39 

To explain something of this interest, I inchide some of 
the press notices regarding them. 

"Mr. Magner, the author of this philosophy, has aston- 
ished the good people of Augusta and vicinity by the admira- 
ble and perfectly successful demonstration of his system, in 
subduing and controlling some of the most vicious and un- 
governable specimens of the horse fraternity that could be 
found among us. The manifest and acknowledged impor- 
tance of this art, and the desire of the public to understand 
and witness the results of its application, induced a crowded 
attendance of all classes on Mr. Magner's practical illustrations 
of his theory. All who attended came away fully convinced 
of, and perfectly satisfied with, the correctness of the princi- 
ples and workings of this new system. 

" Even the members of the Senate and House of Repre- 
sentatives, and the members of the Executive Council, took 
a leisure hour, laid by the affairs of the State, forgot their 
parliamentary squabbles, and found both amusement and 
instruction in witnessing the skill and consummate tact with 
which Mr. Magner handled the hitherto incorrigible subjects 
brought forward to test his new doctrine. Crowds of our 
most intelligent citizens were in attendance, and became de- 
cidedly and thoroughly satisfied that Mr. Magner's system is 
all that he claims for it, and that when applied, it will be 
effectual in bringing the wildest and most stubborn horse into 
complete subjection and docility. 

"A large class of pupils united to profit by Mr. Magner's 
instruction and to learn the best modes of applying his theory 
to practice; and as a matter of course, the hardest and most 
vicious horses that could be found in the neighborhood were 
brought in for him to subdue, all of which were complete!}' 
tamed, and brought into such a state of docility as to astonish 
those who saw it. So satisfactory and perfectly successful were 
his instructions and experiments to every one who attended, 
and so efficient and useful did his principles and modes of pro- 
cedure prove themselves to be in training and subduing horses, 
that the officers of the Second Maine Cavalry were influenced 
to invite him to give a course of instruction to those of the 
regiment who could be spared from duty to attend. In this, 
too, he was perfectly successful, as in all other instances. 

"The most dangerous of vicious horses are those friskj^ 
nervous, touchy kickers, whose heels are always read}' to 



40 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

greet you whenever you approach or attempt to harness them. 
One of this class was brought forward, of so desperate a 
character that the owner cautioned Mr. Magner that he 
would expose himself to danger and probable injury if he was 
too familiar with her. In a short time he had her so effectu- 
ally subdued and conquered that he could do anything he 
pleased with her — jump upon her back, slide off behind her 
heels, handle her feet, and place himself in any position he 
pleased around her, without the least opposition, or showing 
the least disposition to bite or practice her old tricks. 

" We look upon this mode of horse-training as an art, 
wonderful for the sure and infallible results which follow its 
appliance." — Kennebec Journal {.Augusta), JRebruary, 1864. 

" It is all quietly done ; no whipping nor thrashing ; no 
mauling, brawling, nor swearing, as has often heretofore been 
the custom in such cases. Herein is one of the great and in- 
valuable improvements which Mr. Magner introduces in the 
art of bringing the horse under the complete control of man. 
We make these remarks for the purpose of calling the atten- 
tion of our farmers and owners of horses in Maine to the new 
improvements of such vital importance to their interests. We 
have taken great pains to give them a personal investigation. 
You will find Mr. Magner a modest, unassuming young man, 
and no humbug, and we cordially advise every one who can, 
to obtain the benefit of his lectures." — Alaine Farmer, Feb. 
24, 1864. 

Many amusing incidents could, if desired, be referred to, 
but would be but little more than a repetition of what has 
been said on this subject. 



CHAPTER III. 



TRAINED PONIES — CAMPAIGN IN THE SOUTH — INTERESTING TEST 
EXPERIMENTS — BUFFALO MAN-EATER, ETC. 




T' 



^HE novelty of driving stallions 
without reins soon became so 
lessened by others training ordinary 
w3^ horses in this way, — the real feat 
being in driving spirited stallions, 
recognized as hard to control, even 
with reins — that I found it necessary to substitute other fea- 
tures. With this object, I secured at great trouble and ex- 
pense a number of the finest ponies I could find, and trained 
them to do such tricks as would excite the most interest. 
In 1868 my health became seriously impaired, and having 
too many trained horses on my hands, I sold six of them. 
As there will be references farther on to an incident in con- 
nection with the sale of these horses, it will be of interest to 
give the facts here. 

Two of these horses, one of them being a very finely 
trained pony, I sold to a man named O. S. Pratt, of Batavia, 
N. Y., whom I instructed and started in the business. 
Another very superior pony I sold to a man named Graves, of 
Lockport, N. Y. , who also engaged in the business. This 
pony was afterwards secured by Mr. Pratt. 

Retaining two of my best horses, I made arrangements 
with a man who traveled in the South, to make a campaign 
there, which continued for nearly a year, traveling through 
western Tennessee and northern and central Mississippi. 
After a successful tour there, my health being improved, I 
returned to the North, and re-organized carefully for work in 
the larger cities. This required the erection of a special struc- 

[41] 



42 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

ture for my use, in each place visited. This campaign I com- 
menced at Buffalo, N. Y. , which extended west to Cleveland, 
Sandusk}^, Toledo, and other cities in Ohio and Michigan, 
and with it began the era of my really strong, effective work. 
There were many incidents of unusual interest in connection 
with my efforts at this time. I can give the particulars of but 
one or two, which will be of special interest, as showing 
something of the seriousness of the trials to which I was at 

times subjected. 

TEST EXPERIMENT. 

When I visited Cleveland, notwithstanding the large at- 
tendance of leading citizens and horsemen at the pony exhi- 
bition, I was unable to obtain a single name for a class. This 
was, of course, equivalent to failure. Having incurred a large 
expense in building a place to exhibit in, and in advertising the 
city, this was a serious matter to me. I was consequently in 
a quandary how to overcome the difficulty. A chance circum- 
stance, in itself trifling, finally gave me a clue for a footing, and 
i at once made the most of it. Soon after the exhibition 
there was controversy, as to a certain colored boy (a very 
superior rider) being able to ride one of my ponies. (Tommy 
was, at this time, undoubtedly one of the most famous horses 
of this character ever known.) One of the parties being anx- 
ious to bet, and learning that the one defending the pony did 
not have the money, I quietly stepped up to him and placed 
the amount (a hundred dollars) in his hands, saying, " Put it 
up, I will take all the chances." So large a wager pending on 
the result became naturally a matter of gossip, which was 
reported in the papers. This was, of course, greatly in my 
favor. 

Next, by the advice of a friend, I was induced to send 
complimentary tickets to twelve leading gentlemen — a thing I 
had in no case done before — and awaited the result with 
much anxiety. 

As I had anticipated, at the time advertised for trial there 
was a large attendance and much interest manifested as to 



APPARENTLY BAFFLED. 43 

the result; and though the boy was really a superior rider, 
one of the best I had tound up to that time, the pony won the 
complete victory by throwing him fairly three times in suc- 
cession. 

I now, at once, repeated m}^ efforts to form a class, but 
notwithstanding all I could do, I was unable to obtain a sin- 
gle name. I was so nettled at such a result, that I was fairly 
roused to make not only an extreme, but a single-handed 
effort. 

In this spirit I first made inquiry how many of those to 
whom tickets were given the day before were present, and 
was informed there were eight. This proved to me that if I 
would succeed it must be the result of a really heroic effort, 
and I felt determined to make it. I then explained the efforts 
I had made, including that of sending out the complimentar}^ 
tickets, and for which I felt like apologizing, and under the 
circumstances I had changed my mind, and that such tickets 
would on no condition now be honored; that I would suc- 
ceed, if at all, entirely unaided, and under the impulse of the 
moment was led to make some pretty strong statements, 
among others, that I would forfeit five hundred dollars for the 
production of a horse that I could not control and drive, 
without breeching, gently, within forty minutes, and this 
without making any exception as to age, habit, or character 
of viciousness. 

But notwithstanding even this, there was not the slight- 
est indication of interest manifested, not a name or a word be- 
ing offered. When all seemed lost, and I had concluded that 
it was entirely useless to make any further effort, a pleasant 
looking gentleman* approached me, and with great courtesy 
of manner said: — 

*This was Mr. William Edwards, a prominent business man of the city, 
since then president of the Trotting Association there. And now (more 
than twenty years afterward) Mr. Edwards being yet living, it occurred 
to me that it would be accepted as a feature of more than ordinary inter- 
est to have this gentleman's portrait inserted in connection with the 
statement of the incident. I accordingly made the request, which was 
kindly granted. 



44 



MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 



"We have no doubt at all, sir, that you are a good fellow, 
and can do a great deal with horses, but the fact is, there 
have been a number of parties here in this business (referring 
particularly to Rarey, Fancher, and Rockwell), and we have 
paid a good deal of money for such instruction; and to be 
frank, we do not think you have anything new to show 
us." He, at the same time looked at me as if to say, "You 
certainly do not look to be nearly as smart as the other fel- 
lows," adding, 

"But we have 
a horse here, and if 
you can control and 
drive him as you say 
you can, we will 
' take off our hats 
to you,' and admit 
that you can beat 
any man in the busi- 
ness, and that you 
are the best in the 
world." 

I replied, "That 
is just what I have 
been calling for; 
get your horse and 
I will soon settle the matter." 

Upon the horse being led in, the owner who accompa- 
nied the groom being unwilling to submit him to me for trial, 
and at once perceiving that the horse, though a really serious 
case, would not be much trouble for me to control, I at once 
bought him at an exorbitant price. This was the famous 
Malone horse, recognized at the time as the most exception- 
ally vicious, kicking, runaway horse ever known in that city 
or State. This horse had been worked upon for years, with- 
out success, by the best expert trainers, and had finally been 
given up as so incorrigibly unmanageable that nothing could 




Fij^. 2o. — Hon. William Edwards. 



THE NOTED MA LONE HORSE. 



45 



be done with him. With this horse available, I felt confident 
of success. 

I now succeeded in making a small class, every man, 
however^ as he came forward for his ticket, looking at me as 
if to say, " If you do not do just what you promise 1 will skin 
you alive or have my money back." This did not trouble 
me, however, and I met it by saying that when their money 
went into my pocket it was sure to stay there. 




^ ^^ -^^^ 



Fig. 21. — The noted Malone horse in one of his acts. 



As I anticipated, upon trial I experienced no serious dif- 
ficulty in bringing the horse under control, with about five 
minutes to play on, within the limits of the time promised. 
Determined to make the most of the opportunit}^, and to 
push the fight to the utmost limit, I immediately advertised 
to drive this horse next day on the public square, without 
bridle, reins or breeching. Upon this being announced to the 
class, they in the most earnest manner united in the request 
that I would not hazard \\\y already assured success by taking 
such a risk, promising at the same time that if I would not do 



46 



MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 



so, they would help me to the utmost limit of their power. In 
reply I told them that while grateful for their interest I was 
not that sort of fellow; that I had started in to fight the battle 
through entirely unaided by any one, and that I must do it in 
my own way. Not only this, but if I failed to drive the horse 
as promised, I should insist on giving each member of the 
class his money back. 

It was, of course, regarded as such foolhardiness as to be 
little less than a miracle if I succeeded. The promised per- 
formance of such a 
feat created the 
greatest excite- 
ment, as I intended 
it should. During 
the morning the 
anticipation of dan- 
ger from such a 
venture became so 
great that a short 
time before the 
-The Maione horse. time advertised for 

the trial I was waited upon by an officer from the city hall, 
with the announcement that the mayor could not permit such 
a dangerous performance; and to meet this emergency I at 
once gave bonds for one thousand dollars that no harm 
should result. 

At the hour appointed, there was the greatest excite- 
ment. It was estimated that there were fully thirty thousand 
people assembled around the square and on house-tops to wit- 
ness the test, but everything being done to the letter, exactly 
as promised, there was such pronounced revulsion of feeling 
that all went afterwards in my favor. The consequence was, 
that my first class there "was by far the largest I ever had before 
or afterwards, every man seeming to feel it his duty to make a 
personal effort to aid me, so that my success there for a month 
afterwards was certainly all that I could have wished. It 




THE MA LONE HORSE. 



47 



will be interesting to quote a few representative press refer- 
ences: — 

"But the greatest sensation of the evening was yet to 
come ; for all were anxious, as many present knew the vicious 
nature of the beast to be subdued — in fact, there were one or 
two present who had had good cause to ever remember the 
great runaway and kicker known as the ' Malone horse.' He 
is a gray gelding, perhaps sixteen hands high, of great beauty 




Fig. 23. — Tlie Alaloiie liorsc as driven after treaivient next day, on the square, without 
bridle, reins, or breeching. 

and strength, and a will and determination rarely found in the 
purely American breed of horses. The horse was brought 
into the enclosure, and caused general comment by his mag- 
nificent style and grace of movement. His owner was pres- 
ent ,and after looking at the animal a few minutes, and dread- 
ing to see him pass into other hands to manage, hesitated at 
the last moment to give his consent to the application of the 
system. 

"Mr. Magner, determined to have a subject, asked the 
price of the horse, which was announced to be $500. " I'll 
take him,' said Mr. M., and at once handed over the amount. 
This movement on the part of Mr. Magner was unexpected, 




48 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

as most horsemen who have visited us generally prefer to 
'work up' other people's horses rather than their own. 

"At this stage of the proceedings the excitement was 
intense, and many speculations were indulged in as to who 
would prove victor, the man or the horse. In less than 
twenty minutes from the time Mr. Magner laid, his hands 
upon his subject, the horse was as gentle as a lamb, and as 
easily controlled as the most reliable family horse. Among 
the efforts to prove that the gray gelding was completely 

broken, Mr. M., without reins in 
hand, mounted the wagon, and, 
catching the animal by the tail, 
drove him around the ring at a fear- 
ful pace, drawing the wagon upon the 
heels of the horse in such a way as 
to strike them with a force that 
could be heard at the farthest end of 

One of the tests of the Malone ^.i,^ ,-^^v,-. " n7„n,nJ^^rl T ^^rl^^- 
horse^ s docility after treatment . the room. —Cleveland Leadei . 

"Yesterday morning the famous 'Malone horse' was 
hitched to an open wagon, with no hold-back straps, and 
driven up and down the street, at times at a 2:40 pace, and 
when suddenly brought up with the lines, would stop the 
whole weight of the vehicle with his heels — but no kicking 
now. ' ' — Cleveland Herald. 

" A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. 

"While Mr. Magner was driving along the street, follow- 
ing after the Arlington band wagon, people would call out to 
him, 'I say, mister, yer hold-back straps are gone! Yer'll 
have a runaway if yer don't look out;' and while crossing the 
railroad track on Ontario street, to avoid the jam of teams, 
etc., the rear wheels of his buggy were struck by a passing 
street-car, the axletree so bent that one of the wheels would 
not revolve, and the driver, buggy, and all, precipitated for- 
ward on the horse, which, three days ago, one-half dozen 
men could not have held under such circumstances, but with 
no bad results further than stated. The horse did not seem 
alarmed, and bravely stood while the wreck was cleared awa}^ 
from the track, without so much as an effort to kick, fully 
proving the thoroughness of Magner's system. 

"The people who thronged the street were attracted by 
that natural morbidity of the human mind which expects to be 



THE BUFFALO MAN-EATER. 49 

gratified by seeing some appalling disaster; but in this case 
they were most grievously disappointed, for instead of seeing 
the gray gelding ' mash things,' as was his wont, they only 
saw a splendid, docile animal driven by a gentleman who 
neither appeared alarmed, nor expectant of any serious results 
from driving so gentle and speedy a buggy horse. 

" At the close of the last lecture of his course in Cleve- 
land, the following resolution was moved by Hon. Silas Mer- 
chant (President of the City Council), which was carried by 
acclamation of the entire class, comprising one thousand lead- 
ing citizens: — 

'■^ '^ Resolved, That we, as members of Prof. Magner's 
class in this city, deem it but a just recognition of his skill 
and success in teaching us his system of educating horses, 
which is above all praise, hereby indorse him and his system 
to our friends and the public' 

"Gen. J. W. Fitch, Kennard House. 

"Hon. Wm. E"bwARDS, Wholesale Grocer, Water St. 

"Gen. D. T. Casement, Painesville." 

THE BUFFALO MAN-EATER. 
A horse that killed one man and injured several others. 

At the inception of the campaign in Buffalo I made one of 
the most interesting and pronounced experiments of subjec- 
tion, in all my experience. This was a horse that had been 
shut up for months, no one daring to go near him, and it was 
the intention to have him shot. The subjection of this case 
being made a challenge, the experiment was unavoidable. 
Upon trial, however, the result was most pronounced, it requir- 
ing but twelve minutes, not only to bring him under complete 
control, but turning him loose entirely gentle, and by the 
effect of the treatment he remained so.* 

In referring to this interesting case, the Commercial 
Advertiser^ of that city, said: — 

' Yesterday afternoon we visited the amphitheater of 
Prof. Magner, the noted horse-tamer. We found there a 



*The full particulars of this, with a few other representative cases, 
I thought of sufficient interest to include in a special chapter in another 
part, which, if desired, can be referred to. 



50 



MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 



large number of our most prominent citizens, and all mani- 
fested the greatest interest in the doings of the Professor. A 
horse belonging to the omnibus company, — a most vicious 
brute, with the habit of biting, and striking with his forefeet, 
— was brought for treatment. We understand, by the way, 
that this horse (a large and powerful bay) once killed a man b}^ 
biting and trampling him under foot, and recently bit the hand 
almost off the person having him in charge. In about twenty 
minutes [the time was actually within twelve minutes], in 
the presence of between two and three hundred persons, Mr. 

Magner reduced 
this brute to per- 
fect subjection, so 
that the groom and 
himself harnessed 
and unharnesed 
him, put their 
hands in his mouth, 
and handled him in 
every shape with 
perfect impunity, 
the former furious 
beast being as do- 
cile as a kitten. It 
was a wonderful ex- 
hibition, as we can 
bear testimony." 

In a letter afterward received from Mr. Ford, the super- 
intendent, in relation to this case, he made the following state- 
ment: — 

" Respecting our once vicious horse, — ' Man-eater,' as we 
call him, — I have often said, What a good thing it was that we 
did not .f//r-'<7/ him! He was taken out of the stable twice for 
that purpose, when, on both occasions, I interceded in his 
behalf. He is now one of ou?' best horses, as docile as a Iamb, 
and all the drivers like him. We work him double or single, 
as required. All this was the result from 3/our few minutes' 
tuition." 

While in that city there also occurred an incident of so 
ludicrous a character that I think it worthy of referring to. 
This was the noted Press horse. When this case was brought 




Fig. 25. — The Buffalo man-eater. 



THE PRESS HORSE. 51 

in for experiment, the owner got up in great excitement, say- 
ing he wished to make a statement — that he owned that 
horse, knew all about him, and that he would be sure to in- 
jure or kill somebody, at the same time warning them to look 
out for their lives, and giving emphasis to his statement by 
at once rushing for the highest seat out of danger. There 
was such an inclination to a stampede among the people that 
it became necessar}^ to state in positive terms that there would 
be no danger whatever; that the case was only on a line with 
subjects I had to deal with almost daily, and would be no 
more than an ordinary subject to me, in the management of 
which there would be no danger what- 
ever. This, of course, was an addi- vfl^^^^^^^i^J*^ 
tional incentive to my making an extra 
effort to see how quickly and with what 
success I could subdue the case. Upon 
trial I was so fortunate as to be able to 
do so in twelve minutes, in that time 
hitching him up and driving him, with- 
out breeching, gentle and submissive as The Buffalo man-eater. 
any family horse, all resulting in getting the laugh on the 
owner. It will be of interest to give the particulars in rela- 
tion to this case. 

He was an eight-3^ear-old sorrel horse, of medium size. 
When a colt he was of ordinary good character, and worked 
in gently until, when six years old, the whiffletree came acci- 
dentally against his quarters, when plowing corn, and so 
startled and frightened him that he kicked and ran away, tear- 
ing the cultivator to pieces. Every effort to work afterward 
only intensified his fear. Four or five times in succession he 
kicked loose and ran away, becoming finally so dangerous as 
to be wholly unmanageable. 

Mr. Press, the owner, was a leading horseman in the 
town. He had recently taken lessons of a so-called traveling 
horse-tamer, with a number of others, and they concluded to 
try their skill on the horse. Five of them assembled on the 




52 



MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 




he 



following Sunday, and worked half a day on the horse, using, 
as he declared, nearly thirty dollars' worth of rigging. The 
consequence was, that after doing all they could, when they 
tried to hitch and drive the horse, he kicked himself loose, 

and ran furiously over a mile into the 
,j3 village, with his straps and rigging 
^- hanging to him. Such a result, after 
so much labor, convinced them that 
the horse could not be broken, and 
The Press horse. that he was practically worthless. 

Sometime afterwards, Mr. Press brought the horse to 
Buffalo, and offered to sell him to me. I told him, if he 
would join my class, I would break the horse for him. I 
wanted just such a one upon which to illustrate the effect of 
my treatment. 

" I do not care to join any horse-taming class," replied 
I have been in a number of them, and can do as much 
with a horse as any man. I do 
not want any more such instruc- 
tions, but I will sell you the 
horse." 

" I do not want your horse;" 
said I, " but if you will join my 
class and bring him for me to 
experiment upon, I will guaran- 
tee not to injure him, and prom- 
ise if I do not hitch him up and 
drive him perfectly gentle in 
twenty minutes, to charge you 
nothing for instructions," and 
to give additional emphasis to the statement, I promised to 
give him in addition the best suit of clothes he could buy in 
the city. 

On these conditions he finally yielded the point, and 
promised to bring in the horse for trial, at the same time 
warning me that he knew no living man could drive or control 




Fig. 28. — Press horse after subjection. 



THE PRESS HORSE. 53 

him in harness. He and his friends laughed in anticipation 
of the sport they would have in seeing me defeated. They 
knew, as they supposed, all about horse-taming, and felt sure 
the subject would cause me humiliating failure. When he 
was brought in, Mr. Press got up, and laboring under much 
excitement, said to those present that he felt it his duty to 
tell them that he owned that horse; knew all about him; that 
ten men could not hold him in harness, and if there was an 
attempt to drive him, he would be sure to kill somebody, 
warning them to look out for themselves, at the same time 
himself taking a top seat out of danger. This, of course, 
caused alarm among the large concourse of people, which it 
was imperative to abate at once. I therefore, in emphatic 
terms, assured the people there would be no danger at all. 

Upon trial, as stated, the experiment proved a most pro- 
nounced success. Next day, upon trying him in the street, 
though showing him to be perfectly gentle under the most 
severe trials, driving him without breeching, etc., Mr. Press 
shook his head and said: " I have no confidence in him. My 
wife said, 'William, don't you ever bring that horse back.' " 
Upon his offering him to me at my own price, I bought 
him and sold him soon afterwards to a hackman of the city, 
and he proved a perfectly safe, reliable worker. 



CHAPTER IV. 




INCREASE OF INTEREST— PANIC— INTERESTING TRIALS— NOTED 
CASES-A CONSPIRACY. 



S I progressed west from Cleveland 
the interest naturally increased. To 
explain something of this I include 
some specimen notices: — 

"The citizens of Sandusky are 
greatly excited over the perform- 
ances of a horse-tamer who has 
been giving exhibitions of his skill 
in that line. The Register devotes over a column to the 
'charmer.' Citizens are out in certificates expressing their 
admiration of the man and his system of horse-taming. His 
tent is daily crowded with gaping and excited multitudes of 
both sexes, and the children can scarcely be kept in school, 
so anxious are they to see this wonderful man and his more 
wonderful ponies." — Toledo Times. 

"His success here has been vmprecedented, and his 
teachings unparalleled in their line." — Toledo Commercial. 

"As a practitioner and teacher of the art of tam- 
ing horses, Mr. Magner is certainly without a rival. No 
one can understand the apparently magical power which this 
man seems to possess over the horse kingdom, until he wit- 
nesses one of his exhibitions." — Toledo Blade. 

" Mr. Magner has created a genuine furor among all in- 
terested in horses in this city, and his reputation has ex- 
tended to a large circuit of country, and persons have attended 
his classes from over twenty miles distant. He has succeeded 
in subduing and rendering perfectly tractable, horses which 
have resisted all previous efforts of horse-breakers and others to 
reduce them to submission; and his wonderful power over 
horses excites the most astonishment in those the best posted 
in equine care and treatment. The exhibitions of the trained 

[54] 



STRONG ENDORSEMENTS. 55 

troupe of horses which he owns and exhibits are superior in 
interest to the choicest features of the best circus travehng." 
— Adrian, Mich., IVeekly Times. 

The Jackson, Mich., Patriot had the following notice: — 

" Prof. Magner gave his last exhibition and lecture in 
this city on Saturday afternoon last, and, as usual, a large 
number were in attendance. There were at least two hun- 
dred members of his class present to listen to the closing lec- 
ture, and witness some of his wonderful feats of subduing 
and managing horses. At the close of the lecture, one of the 
class offered the following resolution, v/hich was received 
with applause, and adopted without a dissenting voice: — 

" ' Resolved, That we, the members of Mr. Magner's class, 
hereby express to him our high appreciation of his instruc- 
tions in his system for the reform and elevation of the horse, 
which, in our estimation, is incomparably superior to any 
system ever brought before the public. By this system the 
management of the horse is reduced to a definite and exact 
science, and we desire most heartily to recommend Mr. Mag- 
ner to the confidence of the public, to express to him person- 
ally our thanks for his patience, his thoroughness, and his 
gentlemanly bearing, while engaged in his profession in this 
city.' 

'' The following were a few of the representative citizens 
who were present: j. H. Noyes, mayor; W. L. Seaton, post- 
master and member of the city council; D. B. Hibbard; S. S. 
Vaughn, president Horse Breeders' Association." 

The Buffalo, N. Y., class, comprising over two thousand 
members, unanimously passed the following resolution: — 

'^Resolved, That we commend Prof. Magner to our friends 
as a reformer of more than ordinary usefulness; that his 
theory of governing and educating horses is the most practical, 
himiane, and valuable we have ever witnessed; that we desire 
to be represented through the following well-known, prom- 
inent citizens, who can be referred to: Geo. W. Tifft, Esq., 
Judge Maston, Mayor Dickey, C. J. Hamlin, Esq., F. W. 
Tracy, Esq., Richard Bullymore, Esq., C. L. Whiting, Esq." 

During the panic of i873-'74 the people of the larger cen- 
ters were so embarrassed financiall}' that I found it again 
necessary to change my methods of doing business. I there- 



56 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

fore cut down my expenses to the closest possible limit,* and 
directed my efforts almost wholly to the country towns where 
the stringency was less seriously felt. For several reasons 
my work became extremely exacting and trying. The coun- 
try had been overrun by so many small parties who had, 
in a cheap way, engaged in the business, that the people had 
become either indifferent or suspicious and critical of any- 
thing of the kind, which in connection with the financial de- 
pression, required the greatest care and effort to accomplish 
anything. In addition, my health had by this time become 
so much impaired as to greatly interfere with the success of 
my work. At no time up to this period did the outlook seem 
so unpromising; but it was one of my maxims that the greater 
the necessity for effort the greater the merit of winning suc- 
cess; so I accordingly prepared, as far as I could, for every 
possible emergency. 

With other changes, I prepared a special paper, which 
gave very full particulars of my work. Another innovation 
was driving into each place of engagement, in the evening, 
stallions, without reins, with another (Blind Billy) following 
with the freedom and fidelity of a dog, and which, when cir- 
cumstances permitted, was put through some of his perform- 
ances in the open street. But all this was only a prelude of 
what was to follow. This comprised a public lecture in the 
evening, and next morning, before the time of regular work, 
and exhibition with the ponies, which was such a feature that 
large crowds gathered daily to witness them. All resulting in 
exciting a degree of interest in my efforts, the extent of which 
was really surprising. 

This campaign I commenced in Central New York, ex- 
tending it northeast to Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and 
other States of New England, continuing, in fact, until I left 
the road. 

* Before the panic my daily expenses averaged about $60.00 a day, 
requiring- a large canvas, and force of horses and men. During this pe- 
riod I gave daily evening exhibitions with the ponies. Interesting facts 
in relation to my experience at this time will be given farther on. 



DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED. 57 

My success in New England, especially, considering the 
facts, was really remarkable. I may explain here, that my 
visit there was the result of a chance incident. At the con- 
clusion of the campaign of i875-'76, which ended at Sackett's 
Harbor, in northern New York, my working ground for the 
next season became a matter of serious question to me. My 
expenses, when moving, though cut down to the lowest limit, 
were still so large (about ^40 a day) that to work advanta- 
geously required visiting points large enough to warrant suc- 
cess, and so near each other as to enable making a new en- 
gagement daily. It was essential, also, that the people should 
be reasonably prosperous, in addition to not having been 
bothered much by others in the business. I preferred New 
England, and made a trip over the ground to examine it, but 
found that it had been run over so much by others as to make 
it a very unpromising field. In Cleveland, Buffalo, and 
other cities visited by certain parties who had been over this 
ground, I found it exceedingly difficult to do any business, be- 
ing constantly subjected to the severest trials by their scholars. 
Something of this can be understood by the difficulties I ex- 
perienced in Cleveland, which have been related. It was not 
uncommon in such places to send long distances for horses 
that such parties had failed upon; in one instance over twenty 
miles; in which case, I may state, I turned the tables on my 
over-critical friends, by driving the mare gently within ten 
minutes. 

For these reasons I had concluded not to go into New 
England; but while in Portland, Me., chancing to meet a 
leading citizen, then president of the Trotting Association 
there (Dr. Tewksbury), he called my attention to a young 
stallion owned in the city, which he stated to be one of the 
most vicious brutes that was ever known; that as a matter of 
safety it was the intention to kill him, and that if I would 
come there and show that I could subdue such a horse, I 
would prove myself the most skillful and successful man in 
the world. Upon inquiry in relation to the case I became 



58 



MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 



satisfied that the difficulties of his management were not by 
any means insurmountable, and so expressed myself; in any 
event, I felt almost certain that with the superior advantages 
of my treatment it would be scarcely possible to produce a 
horse of his age that I could not make submissive and gentle 
to my control. 

The matter being brought to the notice of the owner, 
Mr. A. P. Hillman, he wrote me, urgently requesting that, if 
possible, I would come there and make the trial, saying that 
unless I would do so he had decided to shoot him. Conclud- 




Fig. 30. — The Hillman horse "Jet." 

ing that the control of such a case would attract sufficient 
attention to more than counteract the disadvantages named, I 
decided to go there and take the horse in hand, and wrote 
him accordingly. It then being August, I promised the 
owner I would come to Portland the following spring and 
take the horse in hand, which I did; and upon trial, as I antic- 
ipated, the experiment proved an entire success. In relation 
to this case, I may state, that in no instance through all my 
experience, were such precautions taken to guard against 
any supposed trickery, as in this.* 



* As explained farther on, it will be noticed that the most exagger- 
ated notions, as to the secrets of my success prevailed among the peo- 
ple, so that everything I did and said was accepted with the strongest 
covering of doubt and suspicion. 



60 . MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

From the time I got up in the morning, until I took the 
horse in hand, I was, without my knowledge, kept under the 
most rigid surveillance by a citizens' committee; the horse 
was also kept under guard, as assurance that he should not 
be given medicine or anything of the kind, before being ex- 
perimented upon.* 

During this campaign several very interesting incidents 
occurred, and as they are good examples of the difficulties I 
had to almost constantly contend with, I will give the partic- 
ulars of representative ones. 

THE HERMON STALLION. 

When I visited Hermon, a village in Lawrence County, in 
northern New York, although there was a large crowd, and 
the performance of the ponies was a source of the greatest 
amusement, I was surprised to be unable to accomplish any- 
thing, no one coming forward to form a class. This was the 
more surprising to me, since up to that time my success in that 
part of the country had been really extraordinary, the people 
coming out almost eii masse, and giving me exceptionally 
large classes. The difficulty was soon explained, however, 
by my superintendent, Mr. Williams, who came to me pri- 
vately, saying: — • 

"We might just as well hitch up and get out of here, as 
we cannot do anything. Thete is a stallion in that barn yon- 
der that killed a man in Canada. He has been shut up there 
for seven months, and is so dangerously vicious that no one 
can go near him. He is a worse horse than ever Cruiser was, 
and they want, as the first condition of making a class, that 
you will subdue him. They want too much and are entirely too 
smart. Of course you don't want anything to do with such a 
horse, and the sooner we get out of here the better." 

I replied that I was not so sure about that; at any rate it 
would not do to give up so easily. I accordingly told him to 



* In another chapter the particulars of this interesting case, with 
others, are given. 



TAKING RISKS. 61 

obtain for me such particulars in relation to the horse as he 
could. He said he had already tried to do so; but all he could 
learn was that the horse was seven years old, and well bred. 

" Well," said I, " a well bred horse of that age must be 
an extraordinary case if he will give us much trouble to man 
age." 

When I found a case to be well bred, no matter how 
vicious, I rarely had much trouble in controlling it, as nearly 
all such cases proved exceptionally good subjects.* 

TAKING RISKS. 

When compelled to make a fight, it was one of my rules 
to make it as strong and startling as I could. Of course, I 
was not insensible to the fact that there was a large element 
of risk, but one of the imperative conditions of my success 
was that it should be met. Accordingly I told my manager 
to wait a little, and I would see what could be done. 

I called the people around me, telling them briefly what 
I had heard, and that the horse was just what I wanted; that 
he was, in fact, one of the most interesting and important 
subjects that could be found, and that if I did not make him 
entirely gentle, even to driving to a carriage without breech- 
ing (he never having been in harness) and this within the 
limit of forty minutes, every man should have his money 
back. Emphasizing this point, I even stipulated that whatever 
the success, if it took a fraction of a minute over that time, it 
would be sufficient reason for their getting their money; but 
that if I did this, they must agree to be satisfied. I called 
their attention to the fact that they knew it to be entirely 
impossible to control such a case by any method of horse-tam- 
ing they had learned, or in feet by any treatment known be- 
fore my time. 

All feeling confident that it would be impossible to con- 



* It was the cold-blooded, sullen characters, that when seriously 
vicious, made anything like a hard " tug of war." It was rare, however, 
that we had any serious trouble to manage them. 



62 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

trol such a horse, and especially in so short a time, they 
would be sure of getting their money back, and so every man 
present, over a hundred in number, who could raise or bor- 
row the money, gave his name. 

The real difficult}^, as I anticipated, was to get the horse 
out of his stable and before the class with safety; but 
with great care I succeeded in doing so without accident. 
Upon subjecting him to treatment, there was of course great 
interest to see if he could be really brought under control 
within the time promised. This horse was an exceptionally 
intelligent fellow, his viciousness being the result entirely of 
bad treatment, and though at first resisting quite hard, he 
soon submitted to treatment so completely that not only 
could he be handled with entire safety, but hitched to a wagon 
and driven entirely gentle and without breeching, as promised, 
the actual time of his treatment not exceeding thirty minutes, 
thereby not only succeeding according to my promise but 
making the experiment a brilliant success. 
A CONSPIRACY. 

What was my surprise then, after getting through with 
the class, to be privately told that there were a few jockeys 
who were trying to create a feeling of dissatisfaction. Their 
argument was that I had taken over $500 for what I had done 
in less than a couple of hours, and that it was too much money 
for so little work. What guarantee had they that the horse 
would stay broken ? And by such reasoning they tried to 
start the feeling that unless I would give guarantee that the 
effect produced would be permanent, they would insist upon 
having their money back, and in support of such argument 
they offered to bet ^100 that I could not handle or drive the 
horse next day. 

Upon learning this I felt so indignant that I at once 
called the people around me, and repeated to them in detail 
what I had learned. I called their attention to the fact that 
I had done even more than I had promised, and then turn- 
ing to the ring-leader, said: — 



A CONSPIRACY. 63 

'' Knowing the temper of you fellows, for I have this sort 
of a feeling to contend with alniost daily, I put in that stipu- 
lation. Now in this case, have I not done more than I prom- 
ised ? As to the horse not staying broken, I understand you 
offer to bet ^loo that I cannot do the same with him tomor- 
row. This is a matter of mere talk by you. You know you 
dare not do it. As proof, I will put up ^500 against your $100 
that I can do with him a week from now, what I have done 
today. I doubt if you have the money. At any rate, you 
dare not risk it." Taking them in hand so positively shut off 
at once all question or argument. 

Two days afterward, upon reaching the second town from 
there (Russell), I found, to my surprise, that the people were 
extremely reserved and suspicious. I soon learned that those 
parties had sent a special messenger there to warn them that 
they must not come near me; that if they did I would be sure 
to "get" them, etc., and that their only safe course was to 
keep away from me. 

Upon learning this, I determined at once to give such 
proof as to leave no chance for argument; so I at once sent a 
special message to the owner of the horse — Mr. Boyd Dice 
— to bring him there the next day without fail, at my risk 
and expense. In due time the horse was led in behind the 
buggy, followed by a large number of the Hermon class, in 
wagons, every man exhibiting the greatest enthusiasm in my 
work. Finding the horse, as I anticipated, entirely submis- 
sive and gentle, I at once hitched him to one of my best bug- 
gies, without breeching, and drove him down the steepest 
hill there, he holding it back with his quarters; thus proving 
him not only gentle, but exceptionally so. The result was 
that I made a large class there, followed by enthusiasm. 

Two days afterward the members of this class, with those 
of the neighboring towns, met me at Canton (the county seat), 
all exhibiting so much interest in my efforts, as to inspire a 
degree of enthusiasm that had not been shown before at any 
point during the year. 



CHAPTER V. 




MY VISIT TO NEW YORK CITY— REMARKABLE CASE-INTERESTING 

TEST EXPERIMENTS BEFORE MR. BONNER AND SPECIAL 

COMMITTEES— DIFFICULTIES OF MANAGING CLASSES. 



T will be interesting to note here 
some of the feats I made as 
conditions of my success when 
suitable subjects were available 
to perform before each class: 
')^s To make any colt gentle to be 
handled or follow me in a few 
minutes. To hitch up and drive any kicking, runaway colt 
in from fifteen to twenty-five minutes. To drive any kicking, 
runaway horse, no matter how vicious or unmanageable, even 
without breeching, within forty minutes. To make any halter- 
puller within two minutes so that no matter how frightened 
or excited, he would stand the most severe test of abuse or ex- 
citement, even to severe whipping, without being made to pull 
back. To make a headstrong stallion, which the united 
strength of two or three strong men could not hold when in 
the presence of other horses, within ten minutes so sub- 
missive and manageable that he could be placed near enough 
to a mare or horse to be touched, without the restraint of 
bridle or halter, and while distant from eight to ten feet, by 
word of command only, to make him come to me promptly. 
Incident to these there were many other little feats performed 
before my classes. 

Such feats seemed so extraordinar}^ as they really were, 
that it was not unusual to have the greatest effort made to 
break me down, it being not uncommon to send long dis- 
tances, at considerable expense, for specially difficult cases, 
f64l 



NARROW CHANCES. 



65 




with the hope of defeating me if possible. Many of the most 
interesting cases referred to in other pages were feats of this 
character. Then a cause of great embarrassment to me was 
the fact that very often the points of my treatment would be 
caught by others and exhibited as their own, and to succeed 
under such circumstances required 
frequently the exercise of the great- 
est care. An interesting case of this 
kind is referred on page 125, where 
the method of hitching the horse 
had been given by others, which of -"^A 
itself, in the great majority of cases, as vicious horses usually act 

would be sufficient to overcome the before treatment. 

habit. There was a secret, however, which was the real 
point of success, which had not been caught, that in critical 
cases was indispensable to its success, and hence their failure. 

The belief was also general among the people, that back of 
my open efforts there was a considerable degree of humbug, and, 
if they joined the class, they felt bound to find it out and ex- 
pose it if possible. Again, no matter how thorough the 
instructions, the measure of their 
satisfaction would be determined 
only by the control and driving 
before them of the most vicious 
horses that could be produced; so 
I was frequently subjected to the 
most severe tests, which were the 
more trying on account of being perhaps compelled to not 
only make my experiments in unsuitable places, but sur- 
rounded by a crowd of people, consequently involving great 
risk and responsibility; but as my real success depended upon 
such experiments, they had to be taken. 
NARROW CHANCES. 

Contrary to what was generall}^ supposed, it was one of 
my strict rules to advertise only what I could do, if any- 
thing a little less; so that in exceptional cases I should, if 

5 




After treatment. 



66 



MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 



necessary, have sufficient leeway to give me a reasonable 
chance for success. While in most cases it would be entirely 
easy to perform the feats referred to, it was of course possi- 
ble at almost any time to have presented cases of such 
exceptional viciousness, that the difficulties under which I 
was compelled to treat them made the line between success 
and failure often so narrow as to carry me up to the very limit 

of safety. In illus- 
trating this I will re- 
fer to an instance out 
of an almost countless 
number that could be 
given. 

EXTREME CASE. 
For weeks pre- 
ceding my visit to 
Hermon, N. Y. (just 
referred to), I had the 
most remarkable suc- 
cess; not only having 
large classes daily, 
but a great variety of 
the most interesting subjects to experiment upon, among 
them a horse that had kicked a man to death, and afterward 
stood in his stall for six months without anyone daring to 
approach or touch him, which I brought under control within 
fifteen minutes; Finall}^ one morning, though I had a large 
class, I was offered for experiment but two subjects, a ver}^ 
unusual thing, and a cause of serious embarrassment; for 
when I had a good variety of subjects, contrary to what may 
be supposed, the easier was my work in giving satisfaction. 
One of these subjects was a kicking runaway colt, that had 
not been in harness for a year, and though regarded a very 
difficult case, having proved up to that time entirely unman- 
ageable, I gave assurance that he would be an easy subject, 
promising to drive him gentle in from twelve to fifteen min- 




EXTREME CASE. 



87 



utes; but on the other, a mustang, I would not promise 
anything. 

Upon trial, the colt submitted to treatment easily, 
driving gently in twelve minutes; but the mustang, as I antic- 
ipated, proved one of the most exceptional cases I ever found. 
He was simply a wild animal in the form of a horse, and hav- 
ing resisted treatment beyond the time advertised, according 




Fig. 3b. — The mustang- turning a somersault. 

to the letter of my promise, I immediately returned their 
money, a large number of them, however, refusing to take it. 
This case was in some respects so exceptional in its way that 
at considerable trouble and expense I had a sketch made of 
his head, a very good illustration of him; also a representa- 
tion of one of his performances during the experiment which 
are here included, — one that I never knew or heard of a horse 
doing before or afterward. During the treatment it being 
necessary to disable him by tying up one of his fore legs, he 
dropped suddenly forward upon his head, turning clear over 



68 



MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 




like a wheel, coming forward upon his feet, and all done so 
easily as to seem without effort.* 

A SEVERE TRIAL. 
To fail in the control of even such a case was a very 
serious matter to me, because it was breaking down the pres- 
tige of my success. This made it an imperative necessity, as 

the first step, that it should, if pos- 
sible, be overcome. So on the fol- 
lowing morning, at the next place 
of engagement (Hopkinton), I di- 
rected my manager (Dr. Will- 
iams), to secure a hall and gather 
the people into it, so that I could 
Fig. 37.~c>uci abuse of the hone, addrcss them before the hour for 

or the American imitating- . ..... _,, 

English style. the exhibition. 1 here being much 

curiosity excited throughout the country in relation to my 
efforts, there was a large crowd, in which was manifested a 
strong under-current of expectation. Upon coming before 
them I explained that I had called them together for the 
purpose of making explanations, which under ordinary cir- 
cumstances seemed unnecessary or 
out of place, and practically out of 
my power to do, either publicly or 
before my classes, and for want of 
which opportunity I was frequently 
subjected to much embarrassment 
by being misjudged. In discuss- 

A test usually given after treatment, [^g t^g Subject, I explained that 

whatever my success, the more I had learned about horses, 
the more I felt myself to be simply a student, — that success 




* This pony was one out of seven carloads of mustangs brought into 
that country; but proving so vicious that nothing could be done with him, 
he was finally sold for $io to a man named Taggett, who brought him in. 
He was afterward broken by one of my scholars, and proved a good 
worker. These facts were given me by a member of the class during 
the preparation of this work. 



A SEVERE TRIAL. 



depended frequently upon conditions that could not in the 
nature of things be alwa3's plain to others. 

To make these conditions plain, I first called attention 
to the wonderful adaptation of the lower animals in general, 




in the different parts of the world, to the wants and re- 
quirements of the people among whom found; examples of 
which could be seen in the Esquimaux's dog, at the extreme 
north, where no other domestic animal could live; a little far- 
ther south was found the reindeer; while for carrying burdens 



70 



MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 




over the Andes, there was the llama or alpaca; the camel was 
the best fitted for traveling over the arid, sandy plains of 
the desert; and I referred especially to the wonderful con- 
formation of this animal, by which he was able to carry 
within his body a sufficient amount of water to last him for 
several days. In accordance with the same principle of fit- 
ness and economy in nature, horses vary in size, strength, 

and intelligence, the better to adapt 
them for the various uses of man. 
I then called attention to the 
fact that there were liable to be as 
clearly marked strains of insanity 
in horses as in the human famil}^; 
that while we recognized man as 
the most intelligent being, suscep- 
The same stallion after treatment . tible of the highest Culture and use- 
fulness, it was not uncommon for him to develop such condi- 
tions of insanity or low, perverse character, that no matter 
how successful or intelligent in a general sense the treatment, 
it was clear that it would be impossible to do in such cases 
what could be done with one of even average temperament, and 
that the law was the same in relation to the successful control 
and management of vicious horses. It was possible to find 
just such abnormal conditions among them, and though with 
reasonable time it was not by any means impossible to make 
them safe and manageable, inability to control them in the 
time promised could not in reason be accepted as an invalida- 
tion of the claim of my treatment. It had been conclusively 
demonstrated that there was no other treatment known by 
which such striking results had been or could be accom- 
plished, and that my system gave the only defined practical 
basis of treatment. 

The argument occupied nearly an hour; and though un- 
studied, with the circumstances that called for the effort 
fresh in their mind, it created an enthusiasm and interest 
even far beyond what I had reason to expect. Those who the 



TEST EXPERIMENTS. 71 

day before had taken back their money came forward and 
stated that the}- were entirely satisfied, and insisted that I 
must take it back. Thus it all resulted in bringing the tide 
of interest and enthusiasm even above what it had been, and 
securing me a large class. 

This was, I think, the first and only real general lecture 
I ever gave on the horse. 

TEST EXPERIMENTS. 

The following trifling incident led to these experiments. 
When at Kalamazoo, Mich., a gentleman came to me with a 
newspaper notice of a man then'giving exhibitions in New York- 
city, who, it appeared, had been making the most extrava- 
gant pretensions there, particularly as being the only authority 
on the subject. Upon explaining to him that he was a man 
whom I had started in the business a few years before, and that 
he had nothing new to teach, he joined with other scholars 
of mine there in insisting that as a duty to m3^self as well as 
them, I should at once go to that city and make myself known 
there. 

I did not at the time deem the matter of sufficient con- 
sideration to be worthy of serious notice; but business soon 
after demanded my presence there, and I embraced the oppor- 
tunity to call upon him at his place of exhibition, with the 
purpose of making a friendly visit. But to ni}' surprise, he 
not only received me as an ordinar}' casual acquaintance, but 
in an arrogant manner assumed that he had the finest trained 
horses and the best system in the world, etc. The boldness 
with which he claimed the credit of my work I saw at once 
left me no alternative but to show him up, if possible. 

After leaving him, he sent a special friend to palliate and 
excuse his treatment, offering any conditions I would ask, if 
I would desist from my purpose of exposing him; in fact, tr}'- 
ing to buy me off. To this I replied that the time had come 
when justice to the public as well as myself demanded that I 
should defend myself. Then there was another reason why I 
should make an effort to defend myself. 



73 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

At the same time I found that Mr. A. H. Rockwell, a man 
long and favorably known on the road in the business, was 
located in Brooklyn and giving exhibitions there, making 
equally emphatic claims of being the only authority upon the 
subject. Thus it seemed imperative that I should give such 
test exhibitions as would prove that I was the only one who 
had introduced new and original principles of treatment, and 
showing myself capable of demonstrating results entirely 
impossible to any others in the business. It occurred to me, as 
the first necessary step in this direction, to make myself 
known, if possible, to some leading gentleman in the city; 
and Mr. Robert Bonner being conceded to be the right man, 
I did so.* This man Pratt had worked upon one horse for a 
week without being able to do anything with him, excusing his 
failure by theexplanation that such a horsecould not be broken. 
This case was selected to test me upon, and, as I promised, I 
was entirely successful in bringing the horse under complete 
control within forty minutes. Farther on, I give some very 
interesting particulars in relation to this remarkable case. 

The result was regarded as so remarkable that it enabled 
me to at once command the attention of the leading experts 
of that city. Deeming it also necessary to show that I had 
the finest troupe of trained horses, I ordered them forwarded 
from Michigan, when I called together the most prominent 
gentlemen interested in horses, including the best trainers, 
and authorities upon the subject, and after explaining my 
position to. them, I gave such test experiments before them 
as would sustain my claims, which were conceded. 

Mr. Pratt, knowing that he had no chance for defense, 
immediately left the city. Mr. Rockwell, whom I had known 
for many years, and for whom I entertained the kindliest feel- 
ings, called upon me, on the day before this exhibition, and 
on the score of friendship made a special plea that I would 
make no reference to him, as it would seriously injure him. 

* On page 149, I give some very interesting particulars regarding 
my difficulties in reaching this gentleman. 



A NEW ERA IN THE EDUCATION OF HORSES. 73 

But I reminded him that he had been advertising things that 
did me serious injustice, and that the time had come when 
justice to myself, as well as to the public, made it necessary 
that it should be definitely and conclusively known who could 
be accepted as authority on the subject; that I claimed to be 
such and could prove it; and if necessary I would take any 
horse that he might fail upon and control him, and if he felt 
there was any injustice done him, he would have the fullest 
liberty for defense. Knowing that he had no chance for suc- 
cessful defense, he also left the city. 

I include a few representative notices of these test exhibi- 
tions. 

From N. V. Sunday Deinocrat. 

A NEW ERA IN THE EDUCATION OF HORSES. 

A WONDERFUL EXHIBITION. 
D. Magner the greatest horse-tamer in the world. 

On Friday evening Mr. D. Magner gave an exhibition, to 
which none but invited guests were admitted. Among the 
horse fanciers present were Robert Bonner, Dan Mace, Ed. 
Wilkins, J. D. Walton, George Lewis, Jacob Creveling, Amos 
Little, Dave Bonner, W. S. Ridabock, R. J. Anderson, 
Arthur Gillender, Walter Briggs, W. Jackson, Jo. Bennet, 
N. H. Leadbetter, Jacob Baulch, James Moffatt, William 
Rutzer, Dr. Ogle, Dr. Brighton, of Boston, Dr. Lee, Henry 
Casey, J. C. Durant, Isaac Sonburg, Dr. O'Shea,. Hamilton 
Busbey, William Watson, of Westchester, with his two sons, 
William Apgar, C. Moran, Jr., Dr. Beadle, James Morris, E. 
H. Freeman, and M. Bain. 

After exhibiting some extraordinary tricks by his trained 
horses, Mr. Magner requested them to choose from those 
present a committee to report on his system. The commit- 
tee selected consisted of Messrs. Robert Bonner, Chairman; 
Charles Swift, Jr., Secretary; Dan Mace, Amos Little, Arthur 
Gillender, Geo. Lewis, J. D. Walton, James Moffatt, W. W. 
Briggs, N. H. Leadbetter, and others. 

The committee having taken their seats, Mr. Magner, in 
a brief address, explained the main points of his treatment. 
.... In the course of his remarks he very justly stated that 
more men than horses require training. A notoriousl}^ vicious 



74 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

horse was then brought into the ring, and in less than thirty 
minutes he was trotting in harness as gentle as though he 
had always been a family horse, and this, too, without throw- 
ing or harsh treatment. Mr. Bonner, turning to the commit- 
tee, said, " Rarey taught us our A B C's, but Magnej- teaches us 
how to put the letters together. " 

At the close of the exhibition the following 

AUTOGRAPH LETTER FROM MR. BONNER 

was handed to a representative of this paper: — 

Office of the "Ledger," 
New York, Jan 25, 1872. 
Mr. D. Magner: — 

Dear Sir: From the conversations I have had with you, 
and from the satisfactory manner in which you handled Mr. 
Wilkins' horse to-day in my stable, I have no hesitation in 
saying that I consider you the most scientific and success- 
ful educator, or tamer, of vicious horses, I have ever met. 
Mr. Wilkins' horse was a most vicious brute; he would kick 
with more spite and determination than any horse I ever saw, 
and at the same time he would strike with his forward feet; 
indeed, Mr. Wilkins himself told me that he was, to use his 
exact expression, " the worst horse in New York." In less 
than an hour* you succeeded in handling him as freely, and 
with as much apparent safety as you would an ordinary family 
horse. 

I have myself handled Princess, the famous old competi- 
tor of Flora Temple, on your new system; and, although she 
was at onetime so vicious as to be almost unmanageable, my 
youngest boy, a lad of fifteen, has during the past week been 
driving her daily in Central Park. All thmgs considered, your 
treatmeiiit Is, in my opinion, entirely new and reliable, as well as 
hu?na?ie and practical. 

Yours truly, 

Robert Bonner. 

In a conversation subsequent to the exhibition, Mr. Bon- 
ner stated, that if he could have made his letter any stronger, 
he would have done so. 



* In point of fact, the horse named was brought under complete 
control within forty minutes. 



COMMITTEE REPORT 



75 



COMMITTEE REPORT. 

April g, 1872. 
We, the committee appointed by the prominent horse- 
men of New York, to investigate and report upon the merits 
of Mr. Magner's system of training and educating wild and 
vicious horses, respectfully report, that we exerted every 
effort in our power to obtain horses of such a bad character 
as would test the practicability of his treatment, and secured 
a thoroughbred mare, 
owned by L. C. Pop- 
ham, of No. 945 
B roadway. This 
mare was fourteen 
years old, and had re- 
sisted all efforts to 
control her in single 
harness: would kick 
herself free from the 
shafts, and run away 

at all hazards. Also, ' Fig. ii.— TheWdkins horse. 

a thoroughbred gelding, sixteen years old, owned by H. L. 
Herbert, of Red Bank, N. J. He would balk while riding, 
kicking and running away while in harness, and was so vic- 
ious that he could not be driven or controlled in harness; was 
purchased by Mr. Herbert for $2, 500; proved so worthless that 
he sold him for ^150, and afterward repurchased him for $25. 
Also, a fine Star mare, owned by R. L. Pell, Esq., of Fifth 
Avenue and Twenty-sixth street, would kick herself free in 
single harness, and would run away. This mare could not be 
driven single. These, with others, were handled in our pres- 
ence, including a large number of prominent citizens and 
members of the press, all of whom were invited to witness 
the experiments proposed to be made before this committee. 
In eighteen minutes (without throwing or any cruelty) 
Mr. Magner made the Herbert horse so docile that he could 
be driven with the greatest freedom without breeching, dem- 




COMMITTEE REPORT. 77 

onstrating the most wonderful change in character. The 
owner publicly stated the fact of his former vicious 
reputation and unmanageable habits. The Popham mare 
was driven with equal success in twenty-seven minutes, sub- 
mitting to all kinds of handling, even from strangers. The 
Pell mare was next handled, and driven gently in ten min- 
utes, and the other horses with the same marked success. 

We have carefully studied the merits of this treatment, 
and have no hesitation in saying that Mr. Magner is the most 
skillful and successful horse tamer and educator who has ever vis- 
ited this city. His method of treatment reduces the subjection 
and education of horses to a definite and fixed science, and is 
in principles and effect entirely superior to any other ever 
brought to our notice, and inaugurates a new era in the sub- 
jection of horses. The great ease and certainty with which 
horses of extreme viciousness can be controlled by this treat- 
ment make the knowledge of it indispensable to all interested 
in horses — particularly to farmers and those who raise colts. 
These facts induce this committee to recommend all who can 
to attend Mr. Magner's lectures. 

Geo. Lewis, Proprietor Sale and Boarding Stables, 50th 
street. 

J. D. DuNWALTON, Proprietor Boarding and Sale Stables, 
3gth street. 

Dan Mace, Proprietor Sale Stable, 49th street. 

W. W. Briggs, Proprietor Tattersall Stable, 7th Avenue 
and 42d street. 

Arthur Gillender. 

N. H. Leadbetter, Proprietor Livery and Sale Stables, 
7th Avenue and 45th street. 

James Moffatt. 

Robert Bonner, Chairman. 
Charles Swift, Jr., Secretary. 

The following well known gentlemen, with one hundred 
others, by unanimous resolution desired their names to be 
used as fully endorsing report of committee. 



78 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

Frank D. Curtis, Esq., Vice-president State Agricul- 
tural Society, Charlton, Saratoga County, N. Y. 

David Bonner, Esq., Brother of Robert Bonner. 

G. Chapman, Esq., Inventor of Chapman's Patent Safety 
Reins. 

Ralph Ogle, V. S., 330 W. 25th street, N. Y. 

L. H. Brailv, V. S., Chief Veterinary Surgeon, U. S. 
Cavalry. 

D. CosTELLo, Esq., Circus Proprietor, with P. T. Bar- 
num's Show. 

J. E. Wilkins, Owner of vicious horse mentioned in Mr. 
Bonner's letter. 

Frank Leslie, Esq., Publisher of Frank Leslie's Week- 
lies, etc. 

James Harper, Esq., of Harper Bros., Publishers. 

Rev. Dr. Field (brother of Cyrus and Supreme Justice 
Field), Editor New York Evangelist. 

Sidney E. Morse, Esq., Publisher New York Observer. 

Rev. E. p. Roe, Chaplain in Harris' Light Cavalry, of 
Highland Falls, New York, the late distinguished novelist. 

REPORT OF COOPER'S INSTITUTE FARMER'S CLUB 
COMMITTEE. 

As requested, we attended Prof. Magner's exhibition on 
Tuesday, April g, in connection with a large number of gen- 
tlemen, including a committee appointed by the horsemen of 
this city. Several horses of the most vicious character were 
subjected to treatment in our presence, with most remarkably 
successful results. Mr. Magner's system is in principle en- 
tirely different from that of Rarey, or any other system of tam- 
ing horses we have ever witnessed. It is remarkably simple. 
A noticeable feature was, that none of the horses experi- 
mented upon were in the least excited or heated. 

While this treatment reduces to the lowest degree cruelty 
and abuse, it secures the most positive docility of even the 
most vicious horse in a remarkably short time; the most vi- 



STRONG ENDORSEMENTS. 79 

cious horse subjected to treatment before us not requiring 
more than fifteen minutes' time to make entirely gentle. 

We have no hesitation in saying that Prof. Magner has 
even more than sustained the high position he has assumed 
before this Club, and that he is a reformer of great merit, 
deserving of the encouragement and assistance of all who 
desire the interests of society in the humane and skillful 
treatment of horses. 

Sereno Edwards Todd, Chairman. 

John W. Chambers, ) ^ 

i^ o T\yr r Committee. 

D. S. MOULTON, j 

At a subsequent meeting of the Club, Mr. Todd, chair- 
man of the committee, in welcoming the guest and comment- 
ing upon the treatment, said: — 

"The cruel club law, which maintained a reign of terror 
throughout the peaceful domain of our dumb animals, has 
been doomed to the charnel-house by the philanthropic efforts 
of President Henry Bergh [enthusiastic cheers], whose illus- 
trious name will descend to posterity with other worthies 
crowned with diadems'of terrestrial glory. Over and above 
all these our session is honored with the presence of Profes- 
sor D. Magner, who has come freighted with messages of mercy 
and affection to the whole equine race — the noble horse — one 
of the noblest servants' of the human family. He is a worthy 
missionary, proclaiming the glorious reign of peace to the 
long-abused horses of our land. The magnificent exhibitions 
of his competency to teach our dumb animals to render cheer- 
ful service, furnish the most satisfactory evidence that his 
credentials are almost supernal." 

Turf, Field, and Farm published the following, under 
the head of " Taming Horses: " — 

"At least we have one man who professes horse-taming, 
and at the same time rises above the vulgar tricks of the char- 
latan. His name is Magner. He seems to have given hon- 
est study to his art, and to have brought a high degree of 
intelligence to the study. His system is his secret, so we can- 



80 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

not go into an elaborate explanation. We have seen him 
operate, and we confess that we admire his skill. His best 
subjects are those which charlatans pronounce the worst. 
His system is based upon logic, such a system as is worthy of 
a controlling power. We honestly believe that there is not a 
horse in the world which he cannot make gentle and obe- 
dient. " 

Frank Leslie's Weekly, in referring to the subject, said: — 

"A notoriously vicious horse was brought into the ring, 
and in less than thirty minutes was trotting in harness, as 
gentle as though he had always been an old family horse, and 
this, too, without harsh treatment. Mr. Magner, standing 
on the axle of a pair of wheels, drove the horse about the ring 
by the tail, no sign of ill-temper being manifested. 




CHAPTER VI. 



TEACHING CLASSES— UNDERSTANDING CHARACTER— DESIRABLE 
SUBJECTS. 




WHEN teaching classes, my every 
movement was watched with ex- 
treme suspicion, and when it is con 
sidered that my scholars were really 
among the most critical class of peo- 
ple in the country, something of my 
U'iii not kick. difficulties can be understood. But 

when I had a good variety of subjects, my work would 
usually be most simple and easy, because no matter how 
apparently vicious and difficult the subjects were, they would 
in most cases prove easy to manage. The results, in fact, 
would seem so startling as to leave little chance for doubt or 
dissatisfaction. 

V/hen I found a particularly vicious horse, and especially 
if a young, well-bred one, it was a "bonanza" to me; and 
for the reason that, when I learned of such a case, no matter 
how distant, I always directed my efforts to visit such a place 
as a central point. While average cases were very common, 
really exceptional ones were somewhat rare, in a whole sea- 
son perhaps not having more than three or four. Wild Pete, 
page hi; the Malone horse, the Hettrick horse, and others 
are good examples. It will be noted that the Hillman horse, 
referred to for the advantage his subjection would give me 
in New England, led me to change the entire route for the 
season in order to secure him, and that in an experience of 
twenty years we had but really very few of these excep- 
tional cases. The Wilkins horse was a good illustration in 
point; in fact the few cases referred to are but fair represen- 
6 [8i] 



82 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

tatives of an almost countless number treated by me during 
my long public life. While we were constantly overrun with 
subjects of average character, we would sometimes go for 
months without getting a really exceptional one, or one hav- 
ing an exceptional reputation; and then we were liable to 
have a number in succession within a few days. 

Another point worthy of mention is that cases having 
really the worst reputation would frequently prove the easi- 
est to manage; while some of the most difificult we would find 
would be cases not known perhaps outside their own neigh- 
borhood, and apparently were not of a very vicious character; 
this being dependent upon the temperament and the degree 
to which the nervous system had been shaken, which, of 
course was not understood, but which I was able to detect 
instantly, and the explanation of such conditions before teach- 
ing the class would necessarily give me success. 

While without suitable subjects, I would frequently be very 
greatly embarrassed, because of my inability to demonstrate 
the truth of my statements. It was under such circumstances 
that I felt called upon to exercise the utmost care and skill, 
because compelled to depend entirely upon explanations of 
conditions and principles which really called for a far higher 
order of ability than was necessary in making the most exact- 
ing experiments. These cursory explanations developed finally 
into little preparatory lectures, in which, with the aid of one 
of my ponies, I could illustrate every point very clearly. I 
believe these lectures were a feature peculiar to myself, and 
one of the really strong points of ni}' success. 

A serious difficulty I frequently had to contend with, 
more particularly in the smaller country towns, was in conse- 
quence of parties of jockeys agreeing among themselves that 
no matter what I did, they would claim not to be satisfied. 

If there was to be found any exceptionally difificult case, 
it would be secured and sprung upon me with the hope of 
breaking me down. Such incidents were of almost constant 
occurrence. When such a purpose was made known to me, 



DETERMINING CHARACTER. 83 

I made it a point to meet it squarely, telling them it was a 
matter I had to deal with almost daily, and cared nothing 
about; that I did not care how many horse-taming schools 
they had attended, referring more particularly to those 
whom I knew had been over the ground before me, but 
always, so far as I could, in liberal terms; that I made no 
exception whatever in favor of persons giving attention to 
such parties, or to subjects they might have failed upon. On 
these points I was particularly explicit and emphatic; and 
such statements were startling in consequence, because if I 
were to fail to come to the exact line of my promise in any 
respect, it would of course result disastrously to me. 

As an illustration of the value of being able to determine 
character accurately, I include instances in point. 

Once when making experiments before a large class in 
Michigan, a five-year-old colt was brought in as an ordinary 
case for experiment. At once observing it to be a really dan- 
gerous subject, and exhibiting caution in approaching him, 
the owner brusquely took me to task for it, implying that he 
could do better than that himself. Annoyed by the boldness 
of the assertion, which implied ridicule, I turned upon him, 
saying, " Do you know what you have here ?" He replied, 
"Yes, sir; I have raised him and know all about him, and I 
am not afraid to go right up and handle him." I said, "You 
don't know anything about him. This is one of the most 
really dangerous cases I have found for months, and to treat 
him, especially in the midst of such a crowd as I have here, 
without accident, is very difficult and calls for the greatest 
care. I will show you what he is, and then you can go near 
him if you wish." 

Finding a rakestale and reaching it out quietly to the 
horse's nose, on the instant of its being brought within his 
reach, he sprang into the air and struck at it with both feet 
in the most violent manner, thereby, as I anticipated, show- 
ing one of the most dangerous types of character imaginable. 
I said, " Now, sir, I will give you a hundred dollars if you will 



HETTRICK HORSE. 85 

go near enough to him to touch him with the tip of your finger. " 
The man turned pale and said, " I would not go near him for 
a thousand dollars." 

Cautioning those present now to keep out of my way, I 
carefully went on with the experiment, and was so fortunate 
as to make the case entirely submissive and gentle in about 
twenty minutes, in that time hitching him up and driving him 
without breeching. 

HETTRICK HORSE. 

In New York City, a very peculiar case, the particulars 
of which are given elsewhere, was purchased expressly for the 
purpose of breaking me down. Happening to see this sub- 
ject across the barn, I said to the gentlemen, "This case I 
cannot safely treat before a class. The risk is too great, and 
I can only consent to experiment upon him privately." Upon 
trial I found that I was not mistaken, for it was only^by the great- 
est care that I could with any degree of safety get my hands 
upon him and subject him to treatment. He once broke 
away so fiercely that had I been compelled to treat him in the 
open ring, with people around me, there would have been a 
serious accident. 

But once able to get my hands upon him with safety, he 
proved one of the most interesting subjects I ever treated, 
and one I would have liked very much to experiment upon in 
public. I did not dare stop, however, as to do so and carry 
out the treatment another time, as I had at first intended, 
would be equivalent to failure. Once undertaken, I instinct- 
ively knew it would be necessary to carry it through, and this 
was in fact one of the important conditions of making the 
experiment upon this case a success, and rendered it one of 
the most pronounced and interesting experiments of my ex- 
perience up to that time. 

The Mt. Vernon case referred to in the same chapter, and 
the Malone horse, were interesting cases in point. Myabilit}^ 
to read the character of these cases was in fact the secret of 



86 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

my success. These were only fair representations of the 
importance, in my daily efforts, of this knowledge to me; in 
fact, during my later years, when the people had become 
very exacting and critical, without it I could not have traveled 
a single day with safety or success. 

NARROW CHANCES. 

The question may naturally be asked, how it was that I 
could safely take such narrow chances, and particularly with 
people who would openly express themselves as determined 
not to be satisfied. I may explain, first, that no matter how 
great the danger or opposition, one of the vital points of my suc- 
cess was in not making any exceptions, because the attemipt 
to make any conditions would naturally be construed as 
proofs of weakness, which would be almost fatal to my suc- 
cess. Thus I was compelled at times to take the most des- 
perate chances, the alternative being to make them elements 
of success. 

Of course under such circumstances I prepared, so far as 
I could, for every emergency. But at the same time, though 
it was of the greatest importance to me, I did not dare ask in 
relation to the character or number of subjects for experiment, 
though well knowing that there were liable to be a number of 
the most difficult cases that could be found kept secretly waiting 
to be sprung upon me; so that it was to me, as it were, a con- 
stant state of friendly or passive war. In addition, I felt a 
peculiar zest in taking such risks. So that no matter how great 
my apprehensions, I frequently laughed at them, and would 
repeat over and over that I did not care what they had in the 
way of subjects, or what was their belief in relation to me; 
consequently, when the class was formed, there would often 
naturally be the greatest curiosity to know how I would get 
out of such a corner. 

The better to explain this, let me here confide to my 
readers a few points I never mentioned to any one: First, 
knowing that my statements would be regarded outside the line 



UNDERSTANDING CHARACTER. 87 

of belief, I made it a particular point to state only what I could 
actually do. This point I watched with special care. Any- 
thing like the loose expressions or pretensions of charlatan- 
ism, such as assuming to be able to subdue any horse or 
animal in the world, etc., I was particularly careful to refrain 
from. At the same time I made the performance of my 
ponies as strong, and interesting a feature as I could; and 
when opportunity presented itself, I performed in the open 
street some feat with one of their own horses, which I always 
made the most of, such as the feats referred to in previous 
pages, of taking daily in the street, without bridle, halter, or 
other means of restraint, a wild, unbroken colt, and that in 
the midst of a crowd; or, in a certain number of minutes, 
driving to my buggy some well-known kicking runaway horse. 
In a word, I added as I could such proofs of my success as 
would inspire the most confidence. It was for this reason, 
also, that I carried so many fine horses, though apparently 
for show. This I found to be the simplest and easiest 
method of proving my responsibility. 

I had also a great disadvantage to contend with in my 
personality. In appearance and address it would certainly 
seem as if there could scarcely be one less fitted for such try- 
ing and exacting work. And for this reason, I had con- 
stantly to contend with the feeling that there certainly must 
be some mistake about it. Being below the average in size, 
and not by any means an easy or impressive speaker, it seemed 
to imply that I could not be the man to contend with such 
exacting difficulties. It was for this reason that I made my 
trained horses such an interesting feature; but once entering 
upon my practical work, these difficulties disappeared. 

UNDERSTANDING CHARACTER. 

One great source of my strength was the facility and 
almost absolute certainty with which I was able to discern 
the types of character I had to deal with, being able to do 
this from the slightest clues. If, for example, a man were to 



MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 




tell me what his horse 
would do, if a marked 
case, it would give me a 
sufficient clue to enable me 
to tell him at once the 
type of character, even to 
particulars of color, kind 
of head, ears, eyes, bodily 
structure, etc., at the same 
time giving me the key of 
treatment necessary. Once 
able to see a horse, 
even at a distance, the 
points of character 
were revealed to me. 

I include here ;i /U^vi^.'^ 
few contrasting feal [^ \<\\ 
ures as mere sugge.s \\ >^ 
tions. In another 
chapter farther on, under 
the head of "Tempera- 
ments," will be found 
some interesting facts re- 

" ■>^:!fflS8h.^ > ^ g^^i'ding this subject. 
/^^r^i^^y.^^^ j|. ^g^g very important 

for me to know what I 
had to experiment upon, 
so as to determine upon a suit- 
able line of argument. For 
this reason, contrary to what 
was supposed, I made a great 
effort to know what I was go- 
ing to experiment upon. If 
unable to obtain a clue my- 
^r J. .^- / ;;■ .. sclf, I had pcrsous obtain it 

ly^es of tnteliigeiit ' ^ 

and good character, for me, if possible. When I 








Tyfies of the worst 
character. 



DESIRABLE SUBJECTS. 



89 





A good eye. 



learned of a particularly difficult case, though apparentl}^ re- 
maining in ignorance of it, I made it a strong point in my pub- 
lic address to specify, in the most explicit terms, just what 
I could do with such a subject. The Hillman horse, al- 
ready referred to, and 

the Lancaster horse, 

mentioned farther on, 

are good examples. 

They are, also, fair 

representations of the 

great chances I was 

often compelled to 

take, and I may state, 

as an interesting fact 

HonesUintellzsenteye. ^ this connection, 

that during the later years of my experience 
on the road, I did not in this respect make a 
single mistake or failure. Of course success 
might in a great measure have been the re- 
sult of chance, and although aware that such 
a statement may seem so extravagant as to 
be received with con- 
siderable doubt, it is W 
nevertheless a simple 
fact. 




A suspicious eye. 





A timid eye. 



DESIRABLE SUBJECTS. 

'^'' To insure making 

a good impression, 

^ subjects especially de- 

The sensitive but tntclligent eye girable tO me were A dtdl stupid eye. 

kicking, runaway colts or horses, halter pullers, and vicious 
stallions. With a variety of four such subjects, I felt my 
position to be almost impregnable; but when I did not have 
a suitable variety for experiment, which was often the case, 
my position would be extremel)^ trying and hazardous. 




90 



MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 




When I got the class together ready for instructions, -With 
the doors closed, I reminded them, first, that if I 
did not have suitable subjects, of course I could not 
demonstrate the results I desired, and though care- 
fully disguised, made an effort to learn what I had to 
deal with. If a man would say he had a horse of 
special character, a kicker perhaps, I would casually 
ask him a few questions as to how he would act in 
the kicking, and so in relation to other subjects 
accessible. I may mention that it was rarely that 
I had an opportunity of seeing them. If appre- 
Weii bred, bending that my subjects were not such as I could 
wish, then, as a measure of safety, I sought, without being 
suspected, to strengthen my position by explaining condi- 
tions and principles sufficiently to carry me 
through. In doing this I would call attention to 
the fact that in its true sense the subject was 
really a broad and very interesting one; that as a 
necessary condition of making my instructions 
entirely simple and plain to them, there were cer- 
tain points that were secrets, that I could only 
give them as such. That an imperative condition 
Coarse. of my instructions was the pledge under oath that 
they would not reveal such secrets without my permission. 
This pledge given, I reminded them that I was aware that 
most persons believed I controlled horses by giving 
them medicines, or by the use of some secret means, 
many even believing that I could so influence people 
who came near me, by looking at them, that if I so 
willed I could make them hand out their money to 
me, etc., and as an illustration of such incredulity 
would put it to vote. Every hand would usually go 
up in acknowledgment of this when I explained that 
no mistake could be greater; that I was just like 
Loivbrcd. them — one of the plainest and simplest of men; that 
no one could feel his ignorance more than I did; that I really 





DESIRABLE SUBJECTS. 



91 



had no more power over horses than they or 
anybody else, aside from the advantage of 
studying the horse's nature with more success 
with the conditions of acting upon and influ- 
encing it; that this was all I could teach them, 
and that whatever my success, I felt as if I were 
only at the commencement of one of the most 
interesting and important studies to which the 
intelligent mind could be directed, which I 
would prove to them. 

Or I would say: " I had of course to say a 
great deal outside that was unpleasant for me 
to say, in order to get you, but now that I have 
you in here, with the doors closed, I wish to be 
entirely frank with you. First, I wish to give 
you a very great secret — one which for your 
own sake and I may add, mine, as well, you 
must on no condition reveal to anyone. This 
is our unpardonable ignorance of a subject that 
we think we know so much about; that this is 
all I will really prove to you, for I can do no 
more with horses, however remarkable the re- 
sults I am able to perform may seem, than any 
common man with the knowledge of the same 
treatment and care in applying it should be able 
to do. I will put myself in the same line. The 
only advantage I have is, that I have studied 
the subject somewhat in advance of you. I will 
show you first that the horse, when treated 
properly, is the easiest of all domestic animals 
to manage, and in every case of his being made 
vicious or unmanageable it is the result of a de- 
gree of ignorance for which we have good reason 
to blush, and for which there should be no ex 
cuse. This, of course, neither you nor I want 
people to know, and in addition I think we can 








Expressions of 
viciotisucss. 



92 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

both do better hereafter. The feats I perform seem great 
and remarkable because the secrets of doing them are not un- 
derstood or studied. If I don't prove this to you, your in- 
structions shall cost you nothing." 

Or I would say to them; "It would be easy enough for 
me to control horses and do it in such a way that when I got 
through you would know but little about, it, and yet you 
would be satisfied; and I am aware, also, that the more 
abstruse and difficult I would make the explanations to you, 
the more importance you would attach to them and the greater 
your respect and esteem for me. But really, to benefit you 
as I wish, it is necessary that I should make my explanations 
as simple as possible. Now which would you prefer: that I 
should perform feats and make my instructions complicated 
and difficult, or simple, and such as I know you can under- 
stand best and would do you the most good ? " It would, of 
course, be voted, " We want you to make it as simple as you 
can to us," etc. 



CHAPTER VII. 



EXPLANATIONS OF PRINCIPLES— HOW FAR POSSIBLE TO CHANGE 

CHARACTER. 




I 



NOW took up details, giving a 
careful explanation of the princi- 
ples, and demonstrating them with 
s-JT'sC^'^^-is^l the aid of one of my trained po- 
^^^^^^It*,^^ nies, which made the instructions 
-^^ ^~~' - very plain and simple as well as 

Coiiiwon occurrence. interesting. If at any point dur- 

ing these instructions I noticed a group together whittling or 
whispering to each other, which was not uncommon, indicat- 
ing a preconcerted plan to defeat me, I gave them careful 
attention. When I discovered such a purpose, I made it a 
point to switch them off something like this: When far 
enough along to secure their close attention, and make them 
forget themselves, I would casually make reference to the 
fact that if such a thing could be really done — referring to 
some specially interesting feat, for example, of making a 
dangerous or vicious colt gentle to follow in a certain num- 
ber of minutes — and I could teach others to do it, it was, 
indeed, remarkable; and if it could be done, it was worth, 
not only the price of the entire instruction, but many times 
that. This conceded, I would jokingly say, "Every one who 
thinks that it is worth $5, raise his right hand," when without 
a thought every hand would naturally go up. 

Then I would refer to something else, perhaps taking a 
wild, kicking horse and making him gentle, even to driving 
him without breeching. That if this could be really done, 
that knowledge alone must be accepted as worth not only $5 
to any man, but several times that; when every hand would 

[93] 



94 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

go up. After thus referring to a number of things, and their 
value being conceded, I would figure it all up, and show 
them that if really true that I could do these things, and 
teach them how to do the same, they would be largely in 
debt to me, aitd then laughingly tell them that was the way I 
did business, placing it in the light of a good joke upon 
myself. 

My foundation being thus carefully laid and fortified, I 
rapidly made the practical demonstrations as short, sharp 
and decisive as possible, showing that I could really do all 
and even more than I had promised, the success with which 
I could do it depending, of course, greatly upon the character 
of my subjects; but I alwa3^s made it a point, when possible, 
to come well within the time I had advertised, when, with 
their tacit acknowledgment of having no reasonable ground 
of complaint to stand upon, no one could well go back on me. 

After getting through wiih the instruction, it was not 
unusual for persons to come forward and tell me of the plans 
that had been made by them to defeat me, and regard it a 
good joke upon themselves to be really satisfied. Such par- 
ties would often become so interested in my efforts that it 
was not uncommon for them to not only foUov/ me to other 
places, but to make a great effort to help me. Much of ni}' 
success was, in fact, really dependent upon such aid. 

LITTLE FEATS. 

I also made it a point, when I could with safety, to per- 
form little feats before the class in such a way as to arrest 
their attention most strongly; but this I did mainly as a 
means of giving novelty to the general routine of my instruc- 
tions. For example, if there were brought in a horse afraid 
of an umbrella or robe, finding him to be a good subject to 
make the test upon, I would say, "This horse is all right. 
You have made a mistake about it." The owner perhaps 
would strongly protest that the horse was really what was rep- 
resented, and as proof some one would be requested to ap- 



LITTLE FEATS. 95 

proach him from a distance of ten, fifteen or twenty feet, 
with an open umbrella over him, when the horse would really 
exhibit such fear of it that the only alternative would be for 
the man to at once step back and close it. This would at 
once put everybody on the alert. " Nevertheless, I will show 
you this horse is all right; " when I would, with apparent in- 
difference, walk up to him and pretend to whisper something 
to him quietly, then step back hurriedly, take the umbrella 
and walk forward, taking him by the halter, and while walk- 
ing along with him, without any apparent effort, put it over 
his head. He might make some little resistance, but directly 
walking along quietly by my side, apparently paying no atten- 
tion to it, as the subject would most always do, it would of 
course cause great surprise. I would then remark: "Now, 
there is a very important secret about doing this, and I will 
go over it again and wish you to watch me carefully to see if 
you will catch the point of it." 

Then I would go over the same routine again, taking the 
umbrella, and with my back to the horse, open and shut it, 
then while walking forward to him, hold it closed in my 
hand, behind me out of view, and upon reaching him, take 
him by the halter and while walking along as before, my 
head near his, talking to him in a low tone of voice, I 
would suddenly open the umbrella, and with the same move- 
ment, quickly swing it upward over his head, bringing it 
down so closely upon it as to cover it. He might, perhaps, 
stop, drop his head, acting a little dazed, but really showing 
no resistance, the only means of restraint used being that of 
lightly holding him by the halter strap, when I would gradu- 
ally raise it, swing it backward and forward, gradually in- 
creasing the movement, at the same time elevating it above 
him, when he would directly submit, entirely indifferent to 
having it swung over or around him in any manner. 

Then again I would surprise them in the opposite direc- 
tion, by assuming to show him to be really as much afraid of 
it as ever, which I would demonstrate by going back some 



96 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

distance from him and approaching him with the umbrella 
over my head, when he would show the indications of fear 
exhibited in the first place; then again rapidly putting it 
over his head, thereby showing him again to be entirely in- 
different to it, which of course would naturally excite the 
greatest astonishment; the class believing that I had some 
sort of secret power which they could not understand. 

I would say, "Now I did this the better to explain to 
you a very interesting principle, which, while known to most 
every one, is not understood. It is that motion is quicker 
than sight, and if I can get the umbrella upon him before he 
can really see it, and show him by contact that it is really 
harmless, he will at once care nothing about it, and the effect 
is not only really as good, but if anything better, than if I 
were to subject him to the most severe treatment. In doing 
this, you will notice that I first put the umbrella in a position 
where he could not see it. The object of whispering to him 
and keeping my head near his was to keep him from seeing 
it, and to mislead you as to my real purpose. Consequently 
when I stooped over to open the umbrella, it was not only 
done as quick as a flash, but swung over his head so quickly 
that he could not see it before it was upon him. The rest 
was simple. So far as frightening him, as in the first place, it 
was by putting it in the position suddenly, as when he was 
first frightened by it. This I quickly overcome, as you see, 
by gradually widening the circle; " which I would do by letting 
him stand on the floor and go round him, all perhaps not re- 
quiring more than a minute or two, thereby proving him to 
be really indifferent to it.* 



* In my regular instructions, in the chapter on "Fear," I give some 
very interesting particulars; among others, that horses, especially highly 
organized ones, can be frightened to death, and also the ease with which 
excessive fear can be prevented, and (if the integrity of the nervous sys- 
tem is not seriously impaired) overcome. This was very noticeable in 
preventing fear of contact of whiffletree or shafts, or when frightened 
and excited, in overcoming it. This was the secret of my driving gently 



ANALYZING CHARACTER. 97 

It will be interesting to include here a brief explanation 
of some of the inner lines of my thoughts which gradually led 
up to the final discoveries made by me in the art of subjec- 
tion; also the severe trials that were often sprung upon me 
from which I was able to catch some of my best lessons. As 
explained in the introductory pages, the study of the subject 
being incidentally forced upon me, knowing nothing about it, 
I instinctively went back to the study of natural conditions. 
In doing this, I noticed, first, that in a state of nature the horse 
was on the same plane with man, being simply a step below him, 
the essential difference being that he practically reasoned 
from the limits of his direct observation and experience; 
next, that man had combined within himself all the peculiar- 
ities of the different families of the lower animals — his higher 
nature representing the more intelligent domestic animals, 
and the lower those of the more untamable or vicious charac- 
ters. Consequently in treating the horse, when in doubt about 
the character I had to deal with, I went back, as it were, and 
studied the corresponding part of my own nature, and from 
this was enabled to determine the best principle or line of 
treatment to pursue. 

While groping my way, as it were, along on these lines, 
one of the most impressive and interesting facts revealed to 
me was the wonderful intelligence of many animals, even of 
those so low as to be supposed not worthy of consideration, 
and from which I was able to observe more clearly some of 
the inherent traits of the horse, which, when close analyzed, 
we find to be really remarkable. Let us briefly consider these 
facts: — 

WONDERFUL INTELLIGENCE OF THE LOWER ANIMALS. 

We naturally feel like paying special deference to any 
one who exhibits anything like exceptional abilities, such as 
excelling as an orator, mathematician, or other specialt}'; and 

so quickly and easily horses that had been frightened by contact of 
wasfon. 



98 



MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 




the greater such exceptional power, the greater the respect 
and deference.* 

Now in following up these points, 
the really significant fact to which I 
wish to call your attention more es- 
pecially is, that many of the lower 
animals, even those supposed to be 
so low in the scale of intelligence as 
not to be worthy of consideration, 
ha\e powers that are really so far be- 
yond what it is possible for any 
man or woman to do, as to be 
nothing short of startling. For 
example, the commonest cur of 
a dog, which most people feel 
like kicking out of the way, has 
powers of scent, and intelligence 
The Arab and his steed. SO keen, that he cau Unerringly 

follow the footsteps of his master, though hours behind him; 
that by the mere smell of a bit of 
clothing the bloodhound can fol- 
low the track of the criminal and 
pick him out from hundreds of 
others, who may have passed 
over the same way. Now we see 
here is an ability that when we 
come to study it carefully is really 
so remarkable as to be nothing 
short of marvelous. But look at 
those considered of a far lotver 
character. For i nstance, the com- Nature and beauty. 

* It is a fact, as we see, that a high order of the horse is not only act- 
ually worth, but sells for a great deal more than a low order of the 
human family. Horses referred to here have been sold as high as $125,- 
000, and one was actually valued and could not have been bought for a 
quarter of a million; while it is well known that a few yards oi calico, 
costing only a few shillings, would be sufficient to pjiirchase a poor Afri- 
can bushman. The accompanying illustrations tell their own story. 




NATURAL SAGACITY. 



99 




mon beaver exhibits a degree of intelligence in the construc- 
tion of his dam, that, 
when the limited re- 
sources at his disposal 
are considered, is an 
exhibition of such won- 
derful skill as to be un- 
surpassed by the best 
engineers in the world. 
The common vulture 
has powers of scent so 
keen as to be able to 
scent and find a decom- 
posing carcass at a dis- 
tance of fifty miles. Fig.7i.~Ajncan Venus. 

On the plains of Arizona and Northern Mexico is a 
bird called the chaparral-cock, or road-runner, which ex- 
hibits a sagacity that might well 
be regarded wonderful. When 
this bird finds a rattlesnake asleep, 
of which it is a mortal enemy, it 
immediately proceeds in the most 
intelligent manner, to build around 
it a wall of cactus burs, and then 
pecks it on the tail to excite it to 
anger, knowing that the contact 
with the cactus will so irritate the 
snake that it will turn and bite 
itself, and thus be destroyed by its 
own venom.* 




* This kindness is reciprocated by 
man in this spirit: " It is a fine day, let 
us, for the pleasure of it, go out and kill 
something;" and make up parties to 
chase and kill this valuable friend of 
Iittil, ^,11' I, r/inr<:. man for the mere fun of seeing it run, for 

which it is famous and consequently given the name of "road-runner." 



100 



MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 



To those who study this subject at all carefully, there is 
a wonderfully interesting field of instruction in it. For 
example, to escape the rigors of winter, birds go South to a 
milder climate, and again return when the season is favorable; 

also, they discern 




_ .^^ 



and avoid the com- 
ing storm — man 
even largely rely- 
ing upon their in- 
telligence for 
guidance. 

These are but 
a few illustrations 
of the wonderful 
J^ intelligence dis- 
if played by a great 
many of the lower 
animals. 

Now when we 
stud)^ the horse 
carefully and 
closely, we fi n d 
that he possesses 
a relatively high 
degree of instinct 
and intelligence. 
For example, man 
cannot approach 
the wild horse of 
the plains on the 



Fig. 7S- — South American India)/. 

windward side, even while far distant, without detection. A 
horse will discover the presence of a dangerous or noxious 
animal long before it is possible for man to do so; and when 
the rider becomes bewildered and lost, if given the reins, it 
is rare that the animal will not take him home. 

Now it is seen that these remarkable powers of intelli- 



INTERESTING POINTS FOR STUDY 



101 



gence in the horse, as well as in the lower animals, generally 
are the wise provisions of nature for his sustenance, protec- 
tion or defense; and that when we know how to adapt the 
efforts to the plane of such instincts, which is the nice point, 
his management and control become at once simple and easy. 
Consequently when he resists us or becomes vicious or unman- 
ageable it is because that, through ignorance or abuse, these 
laws of his nature are so 
grossly violated that he can- 
not do otherwise. For this 
reason, his kicking, biting, 
striking, etc., are only the 
expressions or promptings 
of this natural law of defense, 
on the same principle that 
the bull uses his horns, the 
bee its sting, the viper its 
fangs, etc. 

Here are opened to us 
some very interesting points 
for study, which will render 
simple and easy what has ap- 
parently been very obscure 
and difficult. Some inter- 
esting facts in relation to this are given in the part on 
cruelt}^, page 245, which it will be interesting to refer to 
in connection with what is given here. In demonstrating 
these facts before my classes I was often able to show some 
very startling results.* 

It will be interesting for me to explain here, also, that I 
was for years in various ways greatly misled, and lost much 




Palo Alto, valued at $3^0,000. 



* To explain something of the character of these experiments, I 
may state that I had a standing public challenge to have produced for 
experiment a variety of the most exceptionally unmanageable or vicious 
colts or horses that could be found; so that there were usually accessible 
the most notable cases within a radius of ten to fifteen miles, and often 
some would be brought from thirty to sixty miles. 



102 



MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 



valuable time in consequence of the extravagant pretensions 
of persons who claimed to be able to subdue or control 
horses by the use of certain scents or medicines; claims that 
had just enough truth in them to be well calculated to mislead. 




Pis- 75- — Nancy Hanks (2.04 to ball-bearing sulky'), the latest wonder of the turf. 

To make these points entirely intelligible, I cannot do 
better than quote a few paragraphs from the chapter on 
"Scents and Medicines," in my regular work: — 

Many of the lower animals can be strongly affected by 

certain scents or medicines. For example, by putting asa- 

* The portraits of the horses here shown with many other noted ones 
were engraved from photographs from life for the chapter on Trotting 
in the Author's work, " Facts for Horse Owners." 



EFFECTS OF SCENTS. 



103 



fetida on the soles of the boots or shoes, it will cause wolves 
to eagerly follow the wearer. The body of the beaver con- 
tains a peculiar odorous substance, usually called "bark- 
stone," but more scientifically termed castor or castoreum. 
It is claimed by trappers that the beaver is so greatly attracted 




Siiiiol (a.oHJi to old-style sulky). From a pliotogrdph taken Jruin life. 



by this substance that when he scents this odor, although from 
a long distance, he will invariably make his way to it. 

Reference might also be made to other substances which 
have a like effect upon others of the lower animals; as, for 
example, the musk-bag of the musk-ox, etc., etc. 

Advantage has been taken of these facts, and with a 
show of plausibility, by persons claiming to be in possession 
of certain secrets or scents by which vicious horses could be 
controlled or made to follow as desired. 



104 



MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 



Before and during the time of Rarey, parties who had 
learned the secret of disabling the fore-legs and laying the 
horse down (explained in other pages), the better to mislead, 
and give importance to the treatment, usually managed as 
follows: — 

After treatment of the horse in some private place until 




Fig- 77-—Arion (2.io5^) . $125,000 the sum i>aidfor him 'when three years old. 

submissive, while the horse was lying or standing quietly, 
they would open the door and allow the people to come in. 
There would, of course, be great curiosity to see if anything 
could be discovered as to what had been done. The oper- 
ator, knowing this, and pretending to think himself unob- 
served, would slip a piece of apple or something else into the 
horse's mouth, rub his hand over the nose, blow into the nos- 
trils, whisper into the ear, or something of the kind. This 
would of course be observed, and when curiosity had been 
sufficiently excited, the pretended horse-tamer would say, 



VARIOUS " SECRETS." 



105 



"Yes, I have a secret, as you can see for yourselves by the 
effect produced," implying that the effect was produced by 
this special secret; and then offer to sell it, naming a large 
price, but taking what he could get. During my early trav- 
els on the road, I found many who had paid from ten to fifty, 




rvr 



#■■■' •■ jT 






h'\ 




Fis". yS. — Allcrton (2.ogK)- Valued when ■photographed at over $iqo,ooo. 

and even as high as one hundred dollars for some of these 
pretended great secrets. 

The so-called "Arabian secret"'^ was claimed to be the 
greatest secret of this kind. 

The oil of parsley was sometimes used for the same pur- 

* The one making the most pretensions with this, claimed it to have 
been used by the Comanche hidians, among whom he traveled and 
from whom he obtained it. I'ut this was mere pretension. 



106 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

pose. A few drops are put on the hand or handkerchief, and 
the horse is allowed to smell of it, when it was claimed he 
would follow. 

The perspiration from under the arms, rubbed on the 
horse's nose, or breathed into the nostrils from the hand, was 
held also as a great secret. 

Also, that breathing into the horse's nostrils would make 
him gentle. Catlin, the Indian traveler, refers to this as be- 
ing practiced by the Indians with great success, assuming for 
it in fact the most remarkable results.* 

The warts or osselets which grow on the inside of a 
horse's leg, when dried and pulverized, and about a thimbleful 
blown into the nostrils would, it was also claimed, make any 
horse gende. The osselets, if taken from a vigorous horse 
and properly prepared and used, will frequently produce very 
satisfactory results so far as quieting an irritable horse, par- 
ticularly in the management of balkers.f 

In this chapter (Scents and Medicines), are given other 
very interesting facts in relation to these pretended secrets, 
more particularly those given by Offutt, Rarey's teacher, for 
which he claimed a great deal, and which were obtained by 
me from his original work. 

CONTROL BY THE EYE, OR WILL-CHARMING. 

It is very generally supposed that certain persons pos- 
sess a power by which they can approach and control vicious 
horses as by magic, and, though for certain reasons not with- 
out some show of success, are a cause of greatly misleading 
the popular mind. 

That it is possible to control the volition of some ani- 
mals is a well known fact. If a bird be taken and laid on its 



* Led by his strong statements, I have made the most careful and 
exhaustive experiments with this and other great secrets upon all sorts 
of horses, without satisfactory results. 

t Some interesting facts in relation to this are given in chapter on 
Balking, in work referred to. 



WILL CHARMING. 107 

back, and the finger pointed at its eyes, its whole body will 
begin to stiffen, the legs will be drawn up, and if the hand 
be gently removed, the bird will lie motionless upon its back 
for any length of time; or, if a white chalk-line be drawn on a 
dark board, and a bird set longitudinally upon the line, with 
the beak on the mark, it will remain there for hours as if held 
by some subtle and mysterious influence which is not explain- 
able. Should there, however, be any unusual noise to excite 
or startle, such as a sudden stamping on the ground, the 
effect will at once pass away, and the spell be broken.* 

It is well known that certain classes of snakes have the 
power of fascinating birds or other animals. An intelligent 
lady once told me that in two instances she had seen small 
birds charmed by snakes. In one instance, while stepping 
over a log, she saw a bird in the act of flying into the mouth 
of a black snake, which lay coiled on the ground on the oppo- 
site side. 

According to the statement of a well known naturalist, 
there is a peculiar rattlesnake in Arizona of a dapple, bluish- 
brown color, which has an eye so bright and glittering, that 
once a bird catches a glance of it he is powerless to get away, 
and flies backward and forward, see-saw like, before it, until 
he is caught and swallowed. 

These facts imply, and apparently with much reason, that 
horses may be controlled in this way. I may state, that, not- 
withstanding the most careful and thorough experimenting 
upon all sorts of horses, I have not been able to produce any 
effect that was at all satisfactory to me by any such measures 
of treatment. 



* The researches of late scientific experimenting show that hypnot- 
ism, or the controlling of the will of certain persons by others, is really 
on this principle. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



CONTROL BY EXHAUSTION— SECRETS OF CHANGING CHARACTER 
—INTERESTING EXPLANATIONS— CASES IN POINT, 




T would be an easy matter to con- 
trol horses of even the most vicious 
character for a short time, but the 
difficulty would be to hold them 
gentle. This may be done by any 
method of lowering the strength or 
vitality, such as bleeding, physicking, depriving of sleep, 
food, or water, subjecting to violent or prolonged exertion 
(every one knows that a horse that has been worked and 
driven hard is a great deal more submissive and gentle than 
after an idle spell), intense pain, etc., which it is easily seen 
can be carried to any extreme, even to the point of destroy- 
ing life. 

It is on this principle (exhaustion) that the people of 
South America and the Indians of our Western plains subdue 
and control their horses. On the pampas of South America 
the horse is caught with a lasso, thrown to the ground, his 
head covered with a blanket, when a bridle with a powerful 
bit and saddle are put on. He is then mounted, the blanket 
pulled off, and he is allowed to run until exhausted and sub- 
missive. With some slight variations, the Indians of our 
Western plains pursue the same course in the control of their 
ponies, and with the same results.* 

* The first account I find of, this principle of subjection (exhaustion) 
was that noted in the history of Alexander the Great, when a boy of 
seventeen, controlHng his afterwards famous steed, Bucephalus. It 
seems a man brought a horse to the camp of his father (Phillip of Mac- 
edon) for sale. The horse showing exceptional nervousness or fear was 
[io8] 



IMPRESSIONS. 109 

According to recent researches it seems that this princi- 
ple of subjection was known to the ancients. In the St. Pe- 
tersburg museum is a vase taken from an old Syrian ruin, 
known to have belonged to a period long anterior to the time 
of Christ, upon which is represented this principle of subjec- 
tion, as used by the Indians and others referred to. 

In subduing and controlling by this principle the dif- 
ficulty is, first, that as soon as the strength and vigor are re- 
gained, there will be a strong tendency to gravitate back to 
the former condition of viciousness or resistance. In addi- 
tion, whatever the degree of submission, it must necessarily 
be at the expense of more or less serious constitutional strain 
and injury, even of itself sufficient to ruin the horse. 

IMPRESSIONS. 

Let us now turn to the study of some effects, which though 
common to the observation of every one, rarely receive seri- 
ous consideration. We see that the impression of a moment 
or two, if made just right, will often be sufficient not only 
to change the character of a horse to a certain degree, but to 
do it permanently. For instance, a horse that has been driven 
and worked gently for years, by a chance accident has been 
so frightened and excited that he kicks and runs away; and 
though the impression had been but momentary, or not 
exceeding more than two or three minutes, it will still be so 
strong and deep as to make him as vicious and vmmanagea- 
ble afterwards as if ^e had alwa3^s been so. Not only this, 
but the most marked change in the character may frequently 
be produced without the horse being even touched, or feeling 
any physical pain whatever. This will be shown, for exam- 
ple, by the effect that may be produced upon a horse in con- 



ordered taken away, when, without prepieditation, Alexander sprang 
upon his back and rode him out of camp. This caused great alarm for 
the safety of the young man, but being beyond reach, nothing could be 
done for his rescue, and when in a short time he rode back into camp, 
the horse entirely gentle, and himself unharmed, the joy of all was great- 



no 



MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 



sequence of his being frightened at an umbrella, buffalo robe, 
or some other object with which he had no physical contact, 
yet producing a change in character to as great a degree as if 
he had been subjected to the most violently painful treat- 
ment. 

Now if we reverse the principle, we will find that we can 
produce the same effects, but in an inverse order, either in 
creating such an order of character as we wish, or in over- 
coming impressions that had been formed in consequence of 
bad treatment, or that had formerly existed. So that with a 




Fig. So. — Wild Pete in the act of running away. 

knowledge of proper conditions, we will at once have all the 
foundation necessary for controlling or influencing the char- 
acter in almost any direction, or any degree we desire. Thus 
we can make a horse a kicker, or break him of kicking; teach 
him to balk, or break him of the habit; make him vicious in 
one respect and gentle in another. This was finely illustrated 
by the performance of my ponies. Thus one was taught to 
play different acts, such as to throw boys or to carry boys; 
play gentle or vicious, etc., etc.* 

This was the secret oi my being able to accomplish with 
such quickness and ease the remarkable results in the control 
of vicious horses demonstrated by me. 

* See an account of their remarkable performances, page 165. 



A PECULIAR CASE. 



Ill 



A point, also, that was a source of constantly increasing 
interest to me, was the great possibilities in the way of chang- 
ing the character almost directl}'. I will give the particulars 
here of one of the most striking representations ever made 
by me. 

At a place called Titusville, Pa., the interest in my efforts 
became so great that at the earnest solicitation of friends, I 
remained over there to give an extra lecture. There being a 
large class organ- 
ized, when ready 
to commence the 
instructions I was 
surprised to receive 
a telegram from my 
assistant, a man of 

more than ordinary fll^lj^SiWSSIliKXiL.)IW^Il, yJM/ ' # V\ 

ability, who had 
traveled in the busi- 
ness with a good 
deal of success, and 

whom I had sent on Fig.Si. — Wild Pete. T Dra-wnfrom meinory. 

to Petroleum Center to fill my engagement at that place, mak- 
ing an urgent demand for my immediate presence there. 
Responding at once, upon my arrrival there he confidentially 
informed me that they had there undoubtedly the worst horse 
in the world — one of so wild and nervous a nature that it would 
be entirely useless to try to do anything with him; and the 
best thing we could do — in fact the only thing we could safely 
do — was to get out of there. I replied to him, saying that 
would not do; that we could not admit- of such a thing; that 
if there was any chance at all the case must be taken in hand, 
when I had obtained from him all the particulars in relation 
to the subject that he could give. 

The horse was a pony of the ordinary domestic breed, 
but so exceptionally sensitive and nervous that up to the 
time he was nine years old he could be ridden, but every 




112 



MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 



effort to break him had failed. It was utterly impossible to 
do anything with him in harness. He was so sensitive that it 
usually required two men to hold him while he was groomed. 
Once a harness was put on him and he was so frightened by 
it that he got away, and when found, all the harness except 
the collar had been torn or shaken off. He was in fact so 
insanely nervous that he was nothing short of being wicked 
in his resistance. He was so nervous and excitable that he 
was known in that country by the name of " Wild Pete." 




/ _ ■• \' f^nliDiiion of intense fear 

My assistant looked quizzical, saying: "Now they insist 
that the first thing I shall do is to take the horse and subdue 
him and drive him in harness, and of course it would be sim- 
ple folly to undertake such a thing." "Well!" said I, "I 
am not so sure about it," and at once requested that he should 
arrange to have the horse led before me. I found him a 
small, closely-knit fellow, of great strength and endurance. 
The forehead was broad, and the head in all respects well 
formed, with a good large eye. But to be able to determine 
more closely his character I put a means of control upon his 
head by which any ordinary man could hold or restrain the 
largest and strongest horse almost as he pleased. As an 



" WILD PETEr 113 

additional means of security I tied up one foot, when holding 
him by this I barely touched one of his quarters with the 
lash of a straight buggy whip. He was so frightened by it 
that he instantly sprang over six feet into the air, kicking 
violently, pulled away from me, and, although on three legs, 
continued this kicking and jumping for half a mile, as shown 
by figure 80. 

There being a large crowd assembled, the people laughed 
as if to say, " I guess we have something that will block you 
this time." I certainly never before had found such an ex- 
ceptional case, and it seemed nothing short of a miracle to 
be able to drive him gently in harness. I was at once greatly 
interested to see if it were possible to make such a horse 
gentle, and, upon the horse being brought back, I made it 
the opportunity of explaining to the people the conditions of 
his control; that his extremely sensitive character would 
make it impossible to control him in a building in the pres- 
ence of a class; that the presence of the people, in connection 
with the excitement they would cause, would be of itself suf- 
ficient to neutralize the results of any treatment I could use; 
that if they would make me a class, they could as the first 
condition deposit their money in the bank to be given me if 
1 drove the horse there next day perfectly gentle, which I 
promised to do. 

Upon this condition a large class was organized, they, 
however, generously insisting that I should take the money. 
After my instructions, I arranged with the owner, Mr. 
Smalley, who was a livery keeper there, to take the horse 
next morning to the Titusville trotting park, six miles distant, 
where I carefully took him in hand. 

I may state that I never found a horse to resist so 
violently or desperately, he acting like a wild animal; but I 
made every point carefull3^ In less than an hour's treat- 
ment, however, I succeeded in making him so gentle and 
submissive that I at once hitched him to a buggy and drove 
him back to Titusville, accompanied by Mr. Smalley, down 



114 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

quite a large hill, without breeching, proving him, in fact, so 
fearless and gentle that upon arriving at the American House, 
as a little feat, I left him hitched to the buggy standing in 
the open street with a crowd of people around him while I 
went in and ate my dinner. 

I then went on with the instruction of the class I had 
organized there, and the same evening drove back to Pe- 
troleum Center, where I exhibited him next morning entirely 
under control, after which, to the surprise of all, I drove him 
in the street without breeching, perfectly gentle. An inter- 
esting fact regarding this case is that he was used afterwards 
as a family driving horse, and proved one of the safest and 
gentlest horses in that countr}^ 

The case was specially interesting to me in suggestive- 
ness, by revealing to me the degree to which it was possible 
to change the character by careful, intelligent treatment. Of 
one fact I am sure: If at any point the least mistake had 
been made in the treatment of this case, the experiment 
would have surely resulted in failure. 

Another source of interest to me was the degree to which 
I had forced upon me unexpected trials that in result often 
proved to be, like that of the case just referred to, of the 
most instructive and interesting character. I will refer here 
to a case in point. 

At a place called Greencastle, Pa. (in the Cumberland 
Valley), I had a large and interesting class, comprising the 
leading citizens of the place. Just as I had got through and 
they had commenced paying for their tickets, one of the 
scholars, a physician, casually remarked that he would like 
to have me handle a horse he had, leaving me to infer that 
the case \Vas but a simple one. I consented, and there was 
led in a quiet, gentle-iooking pony horse. While distant 
from him fully thirty feet, I took up a buffalo robe, which 
the owner had told me the horse was afraid of, when on the 
instant of his seeing it he became so terror-stricken that he 
rushed away, ran against double doors, fifteen to twenty feet 



AN EXTREME TEST. 115 

distant, broke them down, and got away. This, of course, 
made a genuine stir — the interest centering upon determining 
if it was possible to break such a horse. 

Upon his being brought back, I took him in hand care- 
fully, but he at every point revealed such insane fury that 
they all united in insisting that it would be, as it certainly 
seemed, the sheerest folly to try to do anything with him; 
and made it the occasion for refraining from paying for their 
tickets, to which, in accordance with the letter of my prom- 
ise, if failing in the least degree at any point, they would be 
entitled. And it certainly seemed that by ordinary treat- 
ment there would be no possibility of his successful manage- 
ment. The apparent difficulty of the case, in connection 
with what I could not but regard the unfairness of the treat- 
ment of the class, who up to this incident expressed them- 
selves in the highest degree satisfied and delighted with the 
instructions, determined me, at any hazard, to go to the bot- 
tom of it, and if possible vindicate myself. As the first step, 
I asked the owner the value of his horse, and upon his stat- 
ing it, I placed double the amount on the girt before them, 
and said: "This will be guarantee for any damage to the 
horse." I stated that I proposed going through with the 
matter now in my own way, and, as my right, demanded that 
they should keep entirely quiet and back out of my way; 
that the matter of their payment I did not care anything 
about. 

I now took the case in hand, following entirely the 
promptings of my instincts; and for twenty minutes such 
insane fury of viciousness I never witnessed before in any 
horse. 

In my regular instructions I call attention to the fact 
that the treatment of fear, in its true sense, will often be one 
of the most interesting as well as the most difficult conditions 
to manage, and to the necessity, in particular cases especially, 
that the treatment should be exact. In connection with this, 
I explain that horses, especially if of a highly organized nature. 



116 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

could be easily frightened to death, giving a number of strik- 
ing examples. 

The danger in this case, of which I was most apprehen- 
sive, was the strain of the excitement being so great that, 
unable to bear it, the nervous system would collapse. The 
sight of even the smallest part of the robe excited such in- 
sane resistance as to render him simply terror stricken, he 
kicking, striking, and even squealing, with the expression of 
despair of a human being; so that to attempt to push it be- 
yond this line would endanger killing the horse. The value 
of the horse I cared nothing about. I would sacrifice this 
quickly a number of times over rather than make a failure; 
so that something of the strain of anxiety under which I 
labored can be imagined. At this point an idea came to me 
which afterwards proved to be one of the most important 
suggestions of my experience. Something of the value of 
this can be understood by the fact that it was the secret of 
my controlling the case referred to on page 383 in my regu- 
lar work, where a friend had worked upon a horse of almost 
the identical character for more than six hours, resulting in 
complete failure; yet within five minutes I was able to make 
the horse entirely fearless and gentle, and the result was re- 
garded as a wonderful achievement. 

Now in the case under consideration: On the instant of 
catching the idea I at once took him in hand heroically, with 
the final result of making it a brilliant success. I may state, 
in a few words, that the result, when it finally occurred, was 
brought about within a minute, and that he was afterwards 
as quiet, and indifferent to this or any other cause of excite- 
ment as the gentlest family horse. "There," I said to my- 
self, "I have caught another valuable suggestion." 

As specially difficult cases were thus the means of m}^ own 
advancement in knowledge, I often put myself out of the way, 
and frequently at considerable expense, to have an opportu- 
nity to experiment upon such. The following, which I may 
refer to in this connection, is an interesting example in point. 



CHAPTER IX. 



A PECULIAR CASE-AN INTERESTING EXPERIMENT. 




WHEN well into the State of 
Vermont, a gentleman intro- 
duced himself to me as a former pu- 
pil of mine, saying that he was 
considered the best horse trainer and 
breaker in that State and had come 
twenty-five miles to attend my lecture. During the conver- 
sation he incidentally inquired if I were going to Lancaster, 
N. H., stating that there was the worst horse there ever 
known in the country; that he would do everything mean a 
horse could do, and was "a bad one;" that I must avoid 
the place, for if I went there, I would be sure to get him, 
and that he would surely make me trouble. 

Upon my requesting the particulars, he stated that the 
horse was a four-year-old Knox stallion (a highly valued 
Maine breed of trotting blood); that the owner, an exception- 
ally intelligent, prudent man, wishing to take every possible 
precaution against accident, had sent the horse a distance of 
sixty miles to him to be broken; but that after working upon 
him for six weeks, in the meantime being arrested twice for 
cruelty to him, he was compelled to send the horse home with 
the statement that he was so hopelessly unmanageable and 
vicious, that he could do nothing with him. In giving par 
ticulars of the case, the man said if he could do nothing else, he 
would kick, lunge into the fence, or throw himself down; that 
in fact he never saw such a horse, and that there was no do- 
ing anything with him. Such positiveness of statement in 
relation to the subject, and especially from so successful and 

[ii7l 



118 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

experienced a man, excited in me so strong a desire to exper- 
iment upon him that I immediately wrote my agent to so 
change his route as to take in that town (Lancaster). 

At the time of the appointment there was assembled a large 
crowd of people, and I secured a large class, nearly three hun- 
dred. To my surprise, however, I could not find the name of 
the owner of the horse referred to (Mr. Stevens, a successful 
breeder and prominent citizen of the place) among them. I 
made a special effort to secure his name; but to my chagrin, 
he met me with the most positive refusal, arguing. that he had 
attended the lectures of every one of any note in the business, 
and that he considered that he had nothing new to learn from 
me upon the subject. Referring specially to his horse, he 
asserted that it was the merest nonsense to assume to be able 
to do anything with such a horse as his. 

Strongly impressed, from the statement previously made 
to me, that the trouble was really the result of improper 
treatment, I was bound, if possible, to secure the horse to 
experiment upon before the class, which was a matter of great 
importance to me, the class being a very large one, with no 
other particularly good subject. Having in the meantime 
arranged for an opportunity to see the horse, I explained to 
the gentleman why I had come there, and my desire to exper- 
iment upon him. 

He still refused, in emphatic terms; but I was bound, at 
all hazards, to have the subject; so to shut off all argument, I 
offered, on condidion of his giving me his name, and coming 
in as a member of the class, (this was an indispensable condi- 
tion) first, to pledge $500 as a guarantee that the horse should 
not be injured; second, $25 additional if I failed to drive him 
gently, without breeching, within fifteen minutes. Such a 
proposition was, as I intended it should be, of course, start- 
ling to him. Looking at me now in a quizzical manner, he 
said, " I don't know what to make of you. You are either the 
worst humbug that ever traveled, or the most skillful man in 
the world, and I don't know which;" adding, "If you really 



A PECULIAR CASE. 119 

mean what you say, you can have my name, but I wish you to 
understand, sir, that I shall hold you rigidly to the letter of 
your statements." On these conditions I obtained his name. 

When the horse was brought in for experiment, I ex- 
plained to the class the conditions upon which he was secured, 
but that this did not trouble me at all, as I had difficulties of this 
kind almost daily. Such a fact, of course, added greatly to 
the interest of the effort. When the time came for taking him 
in hand, to use the language of the old proverb, I did not let 
much "grass grow under my feet, " or indulge in much non- 
sense, and was so fortunate as to bring the horse under com- 
plete control within twelve minutes, in the time putting him 
in the shafts, and driving him without breeching, when, I may 
add, I got the laugh on the owner, who smilingly " acknowl- 
edged the corn." 

I may explain here that the moment the horse was 
brought before me I at once saw the cause of the trouble, with 
the conditions of his successful treatment. I was not in 
error, for though upon trial he revealed himself to be one of 
the most extreme cases of his class I had ever treated, com- 
pelling me to use the greatest care, I did not experience 
much serious difficulty in his control. 

The horse was a fine, intelligent fellow, but extremely 
sensitive, and all the trouble with him was the previous employ- 
ment of treatment that excited and frightened him to such a 
degree as to make him crazy with fear, so that his apparent 
viciousness was owing to inexcusably bad treatment. 

One of the most peculiar cases of extreme sensibility was 
the Oxford horse, the particulars of which are given in another 
chapter. But the most remarkable of all cases in my experi- 
ence was that of a subject referred to as " Wild Pete. " This 
being the most pronounced case of this class I ever found, the 
facts in relation to it, given in another chapter, will be read 
with interest. I may mention that in my regular work I give 
all the facts of treatment, which for want of space would not 
be admissible here. 



120 MEMOIRS OF MA GNER, 

I may also state that in that work I give, in addition to 
the regular instructions, the particulars of the treatment of 
forty of the most noted cases, giving age, temperament and 
character of resistance, including all details as to size, color, 
disposition, etc. 

During my later years on the road the interest attached 
by my scholars to my efforts was often extremely gratifying, 
a fair illustration of which is the following statement: — 

" Mr. Magner had a large class here Saturday, to whom he 
presented a very clear and interesting statement of the princi- 
ples underlying his system, and also showed how absolute is 
the control that may be obtained over horses the most vi- 
cious and obstinate. Several of the hardest cases to be found 
were used as subjects before his class, and it is no exaggera- 
tion to say that horses and class seemed equally surprised, 
though not equally delighted at the effectiveness of the treat- 
ment. Demonstrations were in each case short, sharp and 
decisive. The introductory address, though from necessity 
given in a barn, was a clear explanation of the principles of 
treatment, and was in language and manner entirely above 
the plane of what is properly rated 'horse talk,' and com- 
manded marked attention. We can conceive of no surer in- 
dication of the estimation which Mr. Magner wins for him- 
self than the fact that his most appreciative listeners were 
members of his class when here fourteen years ago." 

REMARKABLE INCREDULITY. 

Regarding the singular incredulit}^ in relation to my 
efforts, it will be interesting here to give some particulars. 
Like most persons, I supposed, before ni}^ study of this sub- 
ject, that any exhibitions of exceptional power in the control 
of vicious horses must necessarily be the result of some 
special gift or secret, and notwithstanding my instructions 
for so many years on this subject, I find a large proportion of 
even the most intelligent and cultivated people of the coun- 
try seem to think so yet, and for this reason I think it 
advisable to make a more definite explanation of the subject 
here. To take a vicious, dangerous, unmanageable horse, 
and in the short period of an hour or less, so change his cha.r- 



REMARKABLE INCREDULITY. 121 

acter as to make him submissive and gentle to control, as 1 
was usually able to do, would seem so much like bordering 
on the miraculous or of changing nature itself, as to be en- 
tirely outside the range of natural law, and thus, in the 
nature of things, impossible. During my experience on the 
road it was a matter of daily, in fact I may say almost hourly, 
occurrence to me, to be made aware of this; many people 
being actually afraid of me, believing that I had the power, 
if I wished, to so influence those coming near me as to make 
them think or do almost what I pleased. As example of this, 
I mention some incidents in point. 

Once, after concluding my instructions and experiments, 
a gentleman came to me and shook me heartily by the hand, 

saying: "Before leaving you, I want to tell you what a d 

fool I have been. I have come twenty miles to-day to join 
your class here. When you were in my town, I was so con- 
fident that you simply fooled the people that I could not be 
persuaded to go near you. So strongly was I impressed with 
this that, with the sole purpose of exposing you, I followed 
you to the next towns, and although my neighbors who at- 
tended your lectures all agreed that they were entirely satis- 
fied, — that you did even more than you promised, — I could 
only feel sorry for them that they should be so deceived and 
imposed upon. Becoming, at length, so anno3'ed about the 
matter, I concluded to come here to-day, and give you $5, 
just for the satisfaction of seeing how you did it, and I have 
only to say that I consider myself fooled in the worst way for 
not joining your class in my town, so that I could have had 
the benefit of one or two more lessons. If I have any criti- 
cism to make, it is that ' the half has not been*told.' " 

In another instance (at Fostoria, O.), after the lesson, as 
a good joke upon himself, a man came to me and made the 
following statement. He said, that to make sure of keeping 
beyond my supposed influence, the first day of my engagement 
there, during the pony exhibition, he stood outside the door 
and looked in; the next, he came inside, but read}', if he felt 



123 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

the least undue influence coming upon him, to jump out. 
The third day he ventured up, upon the seats, and the fourth 
he was led finally to join the class, when, after the instruc- 
tions, he gave me these facts, stating further that he knew 
this impression to be very general among his neighbors. 

After my subjection of the famous Malone horse, a gen- 
tleman (an extensive breeder) from the central part of the 
State, near Columbus, upon reading the account of it, had 
his curiosity so excited by the event that he took the first 
train, nearly a hundred and fifty miles distant, for the sole 
purpose of seeing me, as he would some rare or curious ani- 
mal. Arriving at the hotel in the early morning, and being 
informed that I had not yet come from my room, to be sure 
of seeing me at the earliest possible moment, he seated him- 
self in front of the stairway and patiently waited there until 
I came down. Upon my being pointed out to him, he raised 
his hands with an expression of disgust (this the landlord, as 
a good joke, told me after breakfast), as if to say, "Is that 
the man? Why he looks just like any common man." At 
the close of my instruction and experiments he came to me 
saying, "Well, I give it up. Before your instructions I cer- 
tainly thought you must control horses by some secret magic 
or fascination. " 

It was a matter of common occurrence for citizens to 
make sure that horses they wished me to treat would be kept 
away from me or be put under guard until brought before 
them to be experimented upon, they really believing that if I 
could get near the horse or even only see him, I had the 
power to bring him under my control. A good example of 
this was the incident referred to on page 60. 

I was for this reason almost constantly compelled, often 
at much trouble and expense, to make test experiments upon 
such exceptional cases of viciousness as could be found; 
good examples of which were the noted "Jet," the Wilkins 
horse, the Omnibus horse, the Malone horse, etc. Some 
such remarks as these were of common occurrence: "Do 



GREAT INCREDULITY. 123 

you really mean to say that you can take my horse, which I 
know to be impossible for any man or even several men to 
hitch up and drive without his kicking and running awa}^, 
and control him, right before me? " " Yes, sir; and if I don 't 
doit, your instructions will cost you nothing." The reply 
would be, looking at me quizzicall}^, shaking the head and 
laughing: "You look like a sensible man, and doubtless in- 
tend to be truthful. I would take your word for most any- 
thing else, but this seems so unreasonable that I would not 
believe it even if I were to see it done. You do not seem to 
be different from other men, and there must be some trickery 
about it;" and perhaps he would add, "Why, you don't 
look like a man who could do much with horses, and how is 
it possible that you can do so much more with horses than 
other men? It does not look reasonable; " but being assured 
that everything promised would surely be done, the question 
would next arise, "Do you claim that you can teach me to 
doit?" But when I demonstrated this and perhaps much 
more, as I usually experimented upon a number of horses in 
succession, such would shake their heads, laugh and say, 
" Well, I give it up." 

After some particularly striking experiment, it was not 
uncommon for scholars to come forward and examine my 
hands, gloves and clothing, to see if they could not discover 
some secret odor or scent that would account for so great a 
change ; for very frequently the most interesting and start- 
ling results would not require more than from ten to fifteen 
or twenty minutes to accomplish. When convinced that the 
change in the character was really effected by the treatment 
I had explained to them — that it was the result entirely and 
wholly of conforming to the nature and conditions of the 
case — they would express themselves as amazed; first, that 
such valuable knowledge had not been before discovered; 
second, in being made to see the amount of injury to horses, 
as well as loss in consequence of the bad treatment to which 
they were subjected. 



CHAPTER X. 



EFFORTS TO DEFEAT ME— TEST TRIALS— MOST DANGEROUS CASE 
—NOTED VICIOUS HORSES. 




A 



FREQUENT source of much in- 
convenience, and occasionally of 
amusement, was in people trying in 
various ways to overreach me. For 
example: Once at a point in Central 
Ohio, a farmer came to me saying 
that he proposed to attend my lect- 
ure, and that he had a colt he would like to bring in as a 
subject for experiment, at the same time pointing the colt 
out to me while being led along the street. There was some- 
thing about the expression of the man that was not quite sat- 
isfactory to me; and upon the impulse of the moment I 
stepped into the street to look the colt over carefully. Not 
seeing anything out of the way, with the purpose of making 
further examination, I took him by the head and turned him 
short around, when at once I discovered an organic weakness. 
I called up the hotel-keeper, and said to him: " I wish you 
to witness that this colt has been strained in the back, and if 
experimented upon by me it must be with that understand- 
ing." When put in the harness as promised, the weakness 
was revealed quite plainly, and the owner at once cried out, 
" You have spoilt my horse, and you must pay for him." I 
called his attention to my statement, which was endorsed by 
the hotel-keeper; and with a hearty laugh they said, "Old 
fellow, you didn't succeed this time." 

At one time, while exhibiting my ponies in New York 
(Scriba Corners), my manager came to me and whispered, 
"There is a man out there in a buggy who claims to be from 
L124] 



HALTER-PULLER CURED. 125 

the last town (Fulton), and to keep his mouth shut he wants 
^25. He says that if he does not get it, he will frighten the 
people so that we can do nothing here." I told him to keep 
the man quiet until I got through with the exhibition, when 1 
would attend to him. I may explain here that in making 
engagements, I aimed to have them come so near together 
that the pupils from one place could meet me at the next; 
but in this instance the drive was so long that none from the 
previous towns had followed, and all present being strangers 
to me, to have the least hint made of there being anything 
wrong about my efforts would so frighten the people that I 
could not do anything. 

Among other feats of a positive character that I adver- 
tised to perform was the taking of any halter puller, no matter 
what age or character, even one that when hitched by the 
halter would repeatedly try to pull loose or break his neck, 
and within two minutes make him so submissive that, though 
whipped over the head or frightened in the most severe 
manner, could not be made to pull; and that I would really 
do this with any number of horses of this character in succes- 
sion that could be produced. 

The day before, at Fulton, I had one of the most 
remarkable cases of this character I had ever found or read 
of in the country; and when there, this man, with a few 
others, though they knew nothing at all about me, had, as I 
afterwards learned, done all they could to prevent my accom- 
plishing anything. Upofi becoming aware of the feeling 
toward me, I determined to make the fight as strong and hot 
as I could, and therefore stipulated, in the most positive 
terms, that no matter how satisfactory my instructions, or 
what my success in other respects, if I failed to control this 
case by even the fraction of a minute, which I knew they con- 
sidered impossible to do, every man should certainly have his 
money back. This point I made as emphatic as I could, and 
it being regarded an utter impossibility to do this, they felt 
so sure of getting their money back that I "swept the 



126 



MEMOIRS OF MAGNER, 



board," and got them all. Every one joined the class, but 
after getting them together for instruction, I found them as 
appreciative and as much interested as any class in that sec- 
tion of the country. Regarding this case, after one of the 
most interesting exhibitions of determined resistance of the 
character I had ever found, I succeeded in controlling her 
fairly as promised, after which there was really great enthusi- 




Fig;. 85. — As the halter-puller referred to -was made to stand after 
two minutes^ treatment. 

asm in my efforts. This was the history of my visit to that 
place, so I had nothing unpleasant to fear from there. 

According to my usual custom, therefore, I met the mat- 
ter squarely, frankly telling the people what the man w^anted; 
that I knew nothing about him, and rather than pay money 
in any such way I would go a month without making a class, 
at the same time challenging him, or anybody else to refute 
my statements. Contrary to my usual custom, I refused to 
take any money until after the instructions, and then only on 
condition that the knowledge imparted should be considered 
worth double the amount charged. On these conditions 
nearly every man present gave his name. 



AN EXAMPLE. 127 

Upon entering the town where I was next to exhibit, I 
soon became aware of a feeling of the greatest hostility, and 
soon learned that this fellow had been there, and had so 
grossly misrepresented me as to make the people really afraid 
of me. He told them that if they were even to come near 
me, they would surely be taken in, and that the only safe 
course was to keep away. Next day, however, at the hour of 
my appointment, I was pleasantly surprised to see all the 
class of the previous day drive up in big wagons, exhibiting 
great enthusiasm in my efforts, which so completely turned 
the tide in my favor that a large class was immediately organ- 
ized. The Scriba people had anticipated just what 
occurred, and concluded to go and help me out, and it is but 
just to them to state that they did it in the most royal and 
generous manner. 

Another frequent cause of great trial and anxiety to me 
was being compelled to experiment upon dangerous horses in 
unsuitable places, while surrounded by a large crowd of peo- 
ple. 

AN EXAMPLE. 

During my tour through Vermont, while in Pownal, one 
of the most vicious kickers I ever saw was brought in for ex- 
periment, — the only subject presented there. The onlv place 
available for the experiment was a carriage house, and though 
quite large, there was so great a crowd present as to occupy 
the main portion of the room. When the horse was brought 
in, I saw at once that it was only b}' the exercise of the great- 
est care that he could with any degree of safety be taken in 
hand in such a place. 

Owing to serious ill health at the time, I was dependent 
upon an assistant to make the necessary experiments for me. 
Although he was entirely competent to manage ordinary cases, 
I felt serious hesitation about trusting the subject to him, 
more particularl}^ so as he was himself partial!}' disabled. But 
knowing my condition, he insisted that I should not undertake 
such work, assuring me of his ability to carry the experiment 



128 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

through without accident. I rekictantly yielded, at the same 
time impressing upon him the necessity for exercising the 
utmost care. 

As I had feared, at the first critical point, the horse suc- 
ceeded in resisting him, and getting away, sprang into the 
air, plunging ahead, and kicking desperately, at the first on- 
set jumping fully ten feet, and almost on the instant he was 
fully twenty feet away, jumping and kicking in the most vio- 
lent manner. The people were almost paralyzed with fear, 
screaming and crowding over one another in their efforts to 
get away; but they were helpless, for the next bound would 
surely bring him upon them, and should he get among them, 
nothing short of a miracle would prevent his maiming or kill- 
ing a number of them. There was one desperate chance 
— that of catching him before he could get among them, and 
fortunately I succeeded. Being on the inside of the circle 
he was making around me, and distant about ten feet, just as 
he was bounding into the air for the next jump, I sprang for 
his head, and caught him, but with such momentum as not 
only to check him but throw him helpless upon his side, when 
I quickly secured him. It was only by an almost superhuman 
effort, and by the merest good luck, that I was enabled to do 
this and thereby prevent a catastrophe. I now took the 
horse in hand, and soon made short work with him. The 
chances were so against me that I might have tried a hundred 
times to do the same thing again without succeeding. 

It may be interesting to know how this accident occur- 
red: The horse would not permit a harness on him; but find- 
ing it necessary to demonstrate the principle of a certain 
method of laying a horse down, while held securely, the rig 
was carefully put on him. When all was ready, my assistant, 
who was expert in this treatment, at the first movement 
brought him squarely and evenly upon his side; but the 
strength and energy of the horse were so remarkable that he 
had no sooner struck the ground than he made a spring and 
brought himself squarely upon his feet, when instantly he 



ILLUSTRATIVE CASES. 129 

sprang into the air, kicking with such force as to break away. 

There was in all my public life but one incident which 
caused me more anxiety for the result, or after succeeding in 
which I felt a greater sense of relief than this. This was the 
incident connected with the Hillman horse, referred to on 
page 133. 

Another great and frequent cause of embarrassment to 
me was, that after subjecting a horse to treatment before a 
class, it was supposed, if the treatment was good for anything, 
he must perform equally well out of doors. As explained in 
my regular work, a horse' must be subjected to treatment out 
of doors in order to insure a reliable result. If subjected to 
treatment in a building only, when taken into the streets 
where he has been in the habit of resisting, he would often be 
liable to show as much fear and resistance (this depending 
very much on the character of the case,) as though not sub- 
jected to treatment at all. To let the horse resist under such 
circumstances would be fatal to my success. Still this proof 
was in most cases demanded, and had to be given. 

I will refer here to cases in point. 

In my early career, and just before my experiment upon 
the Roberts horse at Utica, N. Y., I visited Clinton, six miles 
distant, where I had a large class. Among the subjects 
brought in to be experimented upon was a large bay horse, 
which had resisted every effort to ride him. I Was soon able 
to get upon his back and ride around the barn Vv'ithout 
his giving any sign of fear or resistance. Understanding his 
treacherous character, I knew that he could not be safely rid- 
den outside. But regardless of my protests, the owner and 
entire class insisted that I should ride him out of doors. 

Finally yielding to their demands, the door was thrown 
open, and I rode out. He would have continued gentle, but 
the owner, as I was afterward informed, getting angry be- 
cause the horse acted so well, as he was going by him 
through the door, gave him a sharp kick. This so excited 
him that he sprang forward with such fury that I could not 

9 



130 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

restrain him, and he bounded headlong over a big wagon 
loaded with fodder, which stood in front of the door, and 
came down near the hind wheel. 

There was a high, crooked rail fence running parallel 
with his course, to which he ran so close that the ends of the 
rails almost touched my leg. To remain on would endanger 
my being torn off, and to avoid this, I jumped off. This, of 
course, got the laugh on me, but the horse, being soon se- 
cured, was brought back, and I again subjected him to treat- 
ment in the barn, after which I rode him outside all right. 
The incident impressed me as being so ludicrous that I give 
an illustration of it. 

DANGEROUS CASES. 

An apparently simple case, though one of the most pro- 
nounced of its kind I ever found, was one I denominate as 
the Ravenna colt (Ravenna, O.) For a few moments I felt 
the risk of treating this to be almost as great as if I stood 
over a powder-mine with burning brush all around me ; and 
though fortunate in making the experiment a really pro- 
nounced success, I was at the same time conscious of never 
having a narrower escape from disaster. 

I had but one case in all my experience that I did not 
dare to experiment upon before a class, even though I had 
the advantages of a place constructed especially for my pur- 
pose. This was the case (Hettrick horse) referred to on page 
85. This horse was so remarkable a case that I would 
freely have given five hundred dollars to be able with safety 
to experiment upon him before a class of a few representative 
citizens, but the risk of accident seemed so great that I did 
not dare to take it, and, as I apprehended, notwithstanding 
the greatest care, he broke away from me, plunging over the 
ropes and upon the very seats where the people would have 
been; so had I treated him before a class, there would surely 
have been a serious catastrophe. My intention was simply 
to take him in hand sufficiently to learn what he would bear, 



DANGEROUS CASES. 



131 



with the purpose, if I felt safe in doing so, of subjecting him 
to regular treatment before a few leading gentlemen; but 
once getting him in hand, I found there was no alternative 
but to carry the treatment to the limit of entire submission; 
as, even with all the resources of my treatment, to stop short 




Fig. 8b.— As the horse jumped over the wagon. 

of it would, with such a case, have made it practically impos- 
sible to bring him under control afterward. 

In the management of critical cases this was one of the 
nice points of success, and one, I apprehend, that but few 
will be able to understand. For example, the least mistake 
or break at any point in the treatment of "Wild Pete," de- 
scribed on page iii, would have rendered it absolutely 
impossible to make his management a success; and this is 
but a fair illustration of many others I could refer to. 



133 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

If I were to be asked what cases among those mentioned 
I regarded as the greatest representative feats of control, I 
should answer, '' First, Wild Pete." This was certainly the 
most remarkable subject, ever brought to my notice, or per- 




Fig. 87.— "Jet," as led into the city of Portland before treatment . 

haps ever known in the country. He was a nine-year-old 
horse, of so nervous and excitable a character, that from his 
earliest years he had proved wholly unmanageable; yet within 
an hour's time, and without the least injury, his character 
was so radically changed that he was afterward one of the 
most gentle, fearless and reliable of family horses. The con- 
trol of this case is, in my opinion, one of the most striking 
illustrations of the value of scientific treatment that has ever 
been given by me. 



THE STALLION '^JETr 183 

If I were to be asked, what case of all treated by me in- 
volved the greatest danger in treating, I would answer, 
"All things considered, as far as I know, the stallion 'Jet' 
involved the greatest risk." There were three stages in the 
management of this case, when I had as close chances as I 
ever experienced in my life. Upon going into his stable and 
taking him out, although I never mentioned it, I felt the risk 
was so great that I would not have repeated it for all the 
money in the banks in that city. 

This horse had really the treacherous character of the 
feline nature. He would stand apparently indifferent until 
he saw one was off his guard, when, if he felt there was the 
least chance, he would instantly jump, strike or kick at him 
with the ferocity of a wild beast. Second, when I took him 
before the committee, held with ropes between two strong 
men, and while standing behind him far enough away to be 
beyond the reach of any ordinary horse, the moment I took 
my eyes off from his and he thought I was off my guard, as 
quick as a flash he sprang into the air, and kicked back at me 
with such ferocity that- had I not in its very incipiency caught 
the movement and thrown my head back beyond his reach, 
I would certainly have been killed. As it was, though I 
threw my head back much beyond the line of my body, the 
toe of his foot came in contact with my forehead sufficiently 
to graze the skin. 

The third instance was after treatment, while he was 
loose, with nothing on him. I was suddenly called outside, 
but was scarcely ten feet from the door when I heard a terri- 
ble commotion within, and rushing back, I saw a sight that 
almost paralyzed me with fear. The people, whom I had 
left quietly standing around on the floor, to the number of 
nearly a hundred, were running for their lives, trying to climb 
out of the way; while the horse, with head up and eyes flash- 
ing like balls of fire, was running back and forth, showing all 
the evidences of his former ferocity. The place had been a 
riding-school, and at one end there was a stable containing 




■<, 



A PERILOUS RISK. 



135 



about twenty horses, there being, between the two apart- 
ments, a large opening. Smelling these horses, and finding 
himself free, he became intensely excited, and rushed around 
to get at them. It certainly seemed nothing short of certain 
death to go near him, and the longer he was permitted to 
run loose in this way, the greater the danger of approaching 
him. 

On the instant of reaching the door, I took in the situa- 
tion at a glance, and without hesi- 
tation I ran for him, taking the in- 
side of the circle he was making, 
and caught him by the nose and 
mane. Twice in succession, after 
a severe struggle, he pulled away 
from me, but the third time I suc- 

dj • , ,j. 1 • 1 1 *^Jci" as /le Tvas led across ike city 

ed m holdmg hmi long enough after treatment. 

to put on him a halter which I held in my hand, when he in- 
stantly submitted as before to restraint. Twice he turned, 
with the apparent purpose of jumping and trampling me 
under foot, but the impression of the treatment of a few 
minutes before was still so strong that each time upon com- 
ing near me he turned and tried to get away. The danger of 
the occasion can be better understood when we recall the 
fact that half an hour before this horse would certainly have 
killed any one he could get to; but as no accident occurred, 
the matter passed off without comment. 




CHAPTER XI. 




STARTLING RESULTS— A DESPERATE CASE-A SEVERE TRIAL— INTER- 
ESTING INCIDENTS. 



POINT of constantly increasing 
interest to me was the rapidity 
and ease with which so great a 
change of character could be 
produced by my methods of 
treatment. This was mainly in- 
teresting in demonstrating how 
easy it frequently is to manage horses supposed even to be 
very vicious, when subjected to anything like skillful treat- 
ment. The better to explain this I will refer to representa- 
tive cases. 

During my second campaign in Ohio, I advertised to 
drive within twenty minutes, in the open street, any kicking, 
runaway colt that could be produced, — a feat which I usually 
performed without much trouble. At Ashtabula, a five-year- 
old kicking, runaway colt that had not been in harness for 
two years was offered for the experiment. The case was 
so well known, and there was such interest to see if it could 
be so driven, that I found it impossible to secure the neces- 
sary privacy to experiment upon him; the people, regardless 
of all protest, following me en masse wherever I went. In 
this emergency I directed that the colt be led quietly to a 
point about a mile v/est of town. Then I got into a buggy 
with a friend and drove in the opposite direction until I reached 
the outskirts, when I drove rapidly back through a side street, 
and on to the point where the colt had been led. Upon the 
ruse being discovered, the road was at once covered with a 
rush of men and horses excitedly following, and so closely 
[136] 



A DESPERATE CASE. 137 

was I pursued that I only had time, upon arriving where the 
colt was held, to jump out and subject him for about half a 
minute to the simplest treatment, and with a rush put on the 
harness. 

Submitting to this (the actual time not exceeding two or 
three minutes), I put him before my buggy, and before I had 
the harness really attached to it, leaving the breeching straps 
unbuckled, as I always did in such cases, the advance skir- 
mishers of the crowd entered the gate. I jumped in, accom- 
panied by a friend, let the horse out on a fast trot, and pushed 
back to town, never letting up on him until I entered the 
midst of tlie waiting crowd, when, with a sharp call of 
"Whoa!" I threw the reins out over his head and jumped 
out, saying, "I have no more time to lose with this sort of 
nonsense;" but this was only a ruse, as I really did not dare 
to start him up again, feeling almost sure he would kick, for 
the reason that he had not been subjected to treatment 
enough to give anything like the assurance of control I de- 
sired. Two years afterward, upon meeting the owner, I was 
agreeably surprised to be informed b}'^ him that the case con- 
tinued perfectly gentle. He stated that some time afterward 
he tried the colt, not of course believing that he had been 
broken; but to his surprise he found him perfectly gentle, 
and had used him since then as a family driving horse. The 
actual time of treating this case did not exceed at farthest 
more than three or four minutes. 

When in Elyria, O., one evening, before commencing my 
regular exhibition, a man came to me saying that he was a 
professional horse-breaker, had come there from Oberlin 
(about twenty miles south of thpre) to attend my class, and 
that he had brought with him a subject he wished me to han- 
dle for him. He represented the case as the worst he ever 
saw or ever knew in that country, having the habit of throw- 
ing himself over backward so badly that nothing could be 
done with him. He had taken the job of breaking him for 
$30, and came there with the hope that I could do it, as he 



138 



MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 




knew he could not. He took me to one side, and to show 
me what he would do, he asked me to pull upon the halter a 
little, when instantly the horse threw himself over back, the 
man at the same time laughing, as if to say, " Did you ever 
see anything like him? Isn't he a good one?" His expres- 
sion was one of such con- 
fidence in my failure, that 
on the impulse it occurred 
to me, as a good joke upon 

Fig.gi— The colt referred to before treatment. the felloW, tO shoW him 

how quickly I could break him, and I then and there took him 
in hand; when within two or three minutes I had him under 
such perfect control that I turned him over to the man 
and said, "Now try him;" when, regardless of any kind 
of jerking or pulling, he could not be made to resist. Not 
only this, but he would follow freely anywhere. The secret 
of this, which was really easy for any one to do, was in know- 
ing how and what to do. 

I frequently had the most comical incidents in connec- 
tion with such chance experiments. Once, for example, in 

Southern Pennsyvania (at a place 
called Downingtown), a man and 
his two grown sons, three strong 
men, were all one morning trying 
to bring to me a colt that could 
not be led, they pushing and pull- 
ing him, as represented in figure 
91, being only able to get him 
there by backing at least one-third of the distance (their 
own words). As one of the feats I had advertised to per- 
form was the making of any colt or horse follow me freely 
in two or three minutes, and they, feeling confident that 
this colt must surely defeat me, put themselves to this 
trouble to bring him to me for trial. They had been brag- 
ging all the morning to their neighbors of the joke they 
had upon me. When the class was organized and ready to 




The same colt after treatment. 



HAVING SOME FUN." 



139 




Before treatment . 



make experiments, the colt, which was four or five years old, 
was brought in by following another horse. Having an inti- 
mation of what I had, I turned upon them and said, "He 
will not amount to anything. Why! he is but an ordinary 
subject; the whole trouble was in bad management;" when 
I took him in hand quickly, and in less than a minute I had 
him running around the barn after 
me, and all the class clapping their 
hands and laughing at the owner. 
The old gentleman at once got up 
and made a bow to those present, 
saying that he was seventy-two 
years old; had broken horses all his life, but stated that he 
was willing to admit that he knew nothing about it, and 
would have to commence at the bottom again. 

At the same place two men, a blacksmith and neighbor, 
brought a horse a distance of twelve miles to have, as they 
claimed, "some fun with me." The horse had been brought 
to the blacksmith to be shod, and in the effort to shoe him, 
he had kicked the blacksmith across the shop, and proved so 
dangerously vicious that they could do nothing with him. 
He was afraid of a leather apron, and when he saw one would 
kick to kill. They had been " laugh- _>^ i:^>. 

ing in their sleeves," and making 

their boasts to the people what z. fS%j^ " 1>L , Jtl' . „.^pijilili pi j?^t~^ 
sure thing they had got on me with 
this case. To make it sure, the 
blacksmith had brought his apron ~.-iUc> ticatnunt 

and tools along. Though taken unawares, discovering that 
the case was really a simple one, I turned to the people say- 
ing as a joke, "Why, this horse is all right! These fellows 
simply did not know how to treat him. If they had treated 
him kindly as I do (pretending to whisper in his ear, etc.), 
they would have had no trouble." Within three or four 
minutes I had made him so gentle that I invited the black- 
smith to come up and test him as he pleased; when, to 




140 MEMOIRS OF MA GNER. 

his astonishment, the horse stood now entirely quiet, re- 
gardless of what he could do. He threw down his hammer 
and apron, and scratching his head, said, " I give it up." 

The Buffalo omnibus horse, before referred to (page 
50), a case so vicious that it was the intention to have him 
shot, was made entirely gentle by less than twelve minutes' 
actual treatment, and with kind treatment afterward con- 
tinued a perfectly safe, gentle horse. 

Next to Wild Pete, the McVay and Allison mare was 
perhaps one of the best illustrations of the value of correct 
principles of treatment that could well be given. These are 
good representations of a great many that I could give. 

A SEVERE TRIAL. 

The following case will explain something of the trials to 
which I was at times subjected, especially during my early 
experience. 

As stated on previous pages, I found it necessary at one 
time to change my method of doing business; and so at Bath, 
N. Y., I trained several ponies, commencing my first cam- 
paign on the; new plan at Wellsboro, Pa., about seventy miles 
southwest from there, arriving in the place the last day of 
their county fair. During my first exhibition with the ponies, 
a trick of one of them being to throw a rider, a young man, 
after getting upon his back, before I knew what he was at, so 
choked him as to completely disable him. I had advertised 
to give $50 to any one who could ride him for one minute, 
and this fellow demanded the money. But since he had not 
fairly won it, I refused to give it. The crowd present, com- 
prising a large proportion of the rough element, insisted that 
the money must be paid. The matter finally became so seri- 
ous that I was only protected from violence by a number of 
leading citizens jumping into the ring and surrounding me, 
telling me that I was in a bad crowd, and that the matter must 
be settled in some way, but they would protect me if they could. 
They explained that the fellow was one of the worst in thecoun- 



A SEVERE TRIAL. 141 

try — an ex-convict — that he had a bad gang behind him; 
that they were afraid to take sides with me, because they feared 
that he might burn their buildings, or otherwise vent his spite 
upon them; that it was imperative to placate him, and if I did 
not settle it they would. 

It was, in fact, only by the greatest effort on their part 
that a riot was prevented, and only by the protection of a 
strong guard that I was enabled with safety to reach my 
hotel. 

Early the following morning I was notified by the citi- 
zens that unless I would settle the matter they would not 
answer for the consequences; certainly I could not with safety 
attempt giving another exhibition there. I again repeated 
that the money had not been fairly won, and I would not sub- 
mit to being robbed in that way, and would, on no condition, 
consent to pay it; but at the same time I told them to feel 
no anxiety about it; that there would be no trouble. 

During the afternoon I met the fellow outside of the vil- 
lage, when, in emphatic language he told me, that unless the 
matter was settled with him I should not give another exhi- 
bition there; that at the drop of his hand he could have my 
canvas and everything in it torn into pieces, etc. I replied 
that having advertised to exhibit there that evening I should 
certainly make the attempt, adding that I was aware of his 
previous history, and that his first attempt to make me trou- 
ble should be at the hazard of his life, for I would certainly 
kill him if I could; and so the battle was fairly on. 

Later in the afternoon a committee of citizens again came 
to warn me that it was out of the question for me even to try 
to give an exhibition. I repeated the statement made in the 
morning, that there would be no trouble. I was, of course, 
anxious as to the result, though I did not betray it; but 
knowing now what was coming, and feeling that I was right, I 
was bound at any hazard to go through with the matter. 

In the evening there was a large crowd present and there 
was manifested a strong undercurrent of suppressed excite- 



142 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

ment; but confident there would be no trouble until the 
throwing trick came on, I proceeded, carefully preparing for 
the emergency. When finally the time came for this trick, I 
made it the opportunity to explain that this trick of throwing 
boys was not only one of the most interesting, but one of the 
most difficult feats the pony could perform, especially for so 
small a pony when compelled to contend with a strong, active 
man ; the pony being only about twelve hands high and 
weighing about five hundred pounds. 

I gradually extended my talk into quite a little lecture, ex- 
plaining how the pony was taught to perform the feat, and the 
time and care necessary to do it; after which I called attention 
to the fact that the interest of the feat would be destroyed by 
taking such advantage of him that he could not use his strength 
to exert himself; and that, of course, common fair play, as well 
as to make the feat interesting, demanded that he should not 
in any way be hampered or disabled. In illustrating this argu- 
ment I cited the fact that if two men were closely matched in 
a race, to handicap or hamper one of them in the least would 
necessarily destroy the fairness and interest of the contest; 
and that, in like manner, hampering or disabling the pony 
would destroy the fairness and interest of his feat, and that 
it would be particularly unfair for a man to make use of his 
advantage to disable the pony who could not defend himself, 
and it could not be permitted. And then, warming up to my 
subject, I turned to the fellow, who was facing me surrounded 
by his gang, and said: — 

"Now, sir, if you think you can ride this pony, come in 
and try it. If you were able to do it once, you can do it again; 
and if you do it fairly, you shall have not fifty but one hun- 
dred dollars (holding up the amount). But you must sit 
fairly upon his back, as required in my advertisement, and 
furthermore I give you fair warning that you must not try to 
choke or otherwise disable him, for if you attempt to choke or 
disable him it shall be at the risk of your life; for if there is 
not manhood enough among the people here to protect the 



MV ENEMIES SUBDUED. 143 

pony from such abuse, I will do it regardless of consequences. 
Certainly you or I will not live to see tomorrow's sun, and I 
think you will be the one;" and he knew that I meant just 
what I said. 

It may well be imagined that the tension at this point 
was great, especially when he came in to make the effort. 
But making the trial in perfect fairness, and being thrown 
three times in rapid succession, and with apparent good 
nature admitting his defeat, there was the greatest enthusi- 
asm. The result was all I could wish, there being towards 
me the best of good feeling, even my rowdy friend extending 
to me his best wishes. 

Nor was the lesson lost upon me; for afterward, no one 
during my long experience was ever given a chance to disable 
the pony in any such way. 

An interesting fact, that I may state here, is that through 
all the vicissitudes of my checkered career, there has been no 
result in my experience in which I take more pride than in 
the fact, that though almost daily, as may be imagined, I had 
a large proportion of the roughest and most suspicious 
classes of people to deal with, through it all, I never had a 
broil or fight with any one, and never had one of my perform- 
ances successfully interrupted. 



CHAPTER XIII. 



TOUR IN SOUTHERN STATES-RESULTS OF SLIGHT INCIDENTS— TRIALS 

IN NEW YORK— MY VISIT TO MR. BONNER— PECULIAR 

©BERLIN INCIDENT. 




S' 



OON after the incident referred to 
in the previous chapter, I was per- 
suaded to make a tour of the Southern 
States, where driving staUions without 
reins was still a new and interesting fea- 
ture; and that being by far the simplest 
and easiest means of attracting attention, 
I disposed of all but two of my best horses, trained to drive 
without reins, including the ponies, and went directly to Mem- 
phis, Tenn., from which point I extended the campaign 
south through Mississippi. Returning in i86g, I re-organ- 
ized again carefully, commencing at Buffalo, from which 
point I went west through northern Pennsylvania, Ohio and 
Michigan. 

TAKING NARROW CHANCES. 

The narrowness of the chances I was frequently com- 
pelled to take, when I come to think of them calmly, be- 
comes a matter of wonder. For instance, I hazarded my 
reputation on the control, within a certain time, of the Ma- 
lone horse, in Cleveland, and in order to make the experi- 
ment, was compelled to buy him, at a large price. The 
control of the McVay and Allison mare, which was brought 
especially to defeat me, was one of the closest escapes I ever 
had. I had $500 at stake upon the control of this case 
within a certain number of minutes, and was barely able to 
hold it. 

[144] 



TAKING NARROW CHANCES. 145 

Before experimenting upon the Wilkins horse before his 
owner and Mr. Bonner, though I had never seen the subject, 
and could obtain no particulars in relation to him, beyond 
knowing the character and temperament of the man who had 
last treated him (O. S. Pratt), yet I pledged to Mr. Bonner 
a forfeiture of $i,ooo if I failed to make the horse gentle 
within forty minutes, with an additional $i,ooo to Mr. 
Wilkins, as security that the horse should not be injured, 
and an additional $ioo for his time, if I failed to make the 
horse gentle within the time named. This was imperative to 
command attention, and secure the horse for the experiment. 
The great risk taken in this case can be understood by the 
fact that he was recognized, as in my opinion he was at the 
time, one of the worst horses known in that city. 

I may mention here an interesting incident in connection 
with this case, not before made known. Dr. Braily, who 
had been chief veterinary surgeon of the U. S. Cavalry, — a 
man of exceptional intelligence and tact, — made the state- 
ment, that with reasonable time he could put his hands upon 
this or any other horse's head. I said, " I will give you ^loo 
if you can do it with this horse within an hour." The horse 
being tied in the ordi'nary way to the manger, the doctor began 
in the most careful, patient manner, commencing at the with- 
ers, and slowly and gently scratching the mane forward, but he 
could not go beyond a certain point of the neck without the 
horse's striking violently, and he finally had to give it up, 
with the remark that he was the " dirtiest brute " he had ever 
seen, and the only one he had ever found that he could not 
succeed with. 

I then said that, to show him the value of scientific treat- 
ment, if I could not within fifteen minutes make him entirely 
submissive I would forfeit to him $ioo, and upon trial I suc- 
ceeded without serious difficulty. This horse, before treat- 
ment, was so vicious that if touched a hundred times by a 
pole or anything of the kind upon the leg or quarters, he 
would every time strike or kick in the most spiteful manner. 

10 



THE HERBERT HORSE. 147 

There seemed, in fact, scarcely a limit to his resistance, and 
from the standpoint of ordinary experience it would certainly 
seem impossible to do anything with him. Some time after 
treatment, this case was exhibited as a model of docility be- 
fore Mr. Bonner, Mr. Bergh, and other leading gentlemen, 
as shown on opposite page 

The next case was the Herbert horse, one of those 
treated before the committee. Something of the exception- 
ally serious character of this case can be understood by the 
fact that he was eighteen years old, and had been so vicious 
that he had not been in harness for twelve years, and was 
certainly one of the most difficult subjects that could be pro- 
duced. He had been first sold for $2,500, next for $250, and 
finally was regarded so nearly worthless as to be sold for $25. 
I knew by the temperament of this horse that if he became 
in the least warmed up or excited, it would so counteract all 
that I could do as to make it very difficult, if not impossible, 
to bring him under control, especially in the short time to 
which I was limited. This was in fact my real point of dif- 
ficulty. Little did the gentlemen present realize the really 
narrow chances I took, and the anxiety I felt in relation to 
the control of this case. 

Upon the first trial, notwithstanding the greatest care, 
he fairly resisted, in addition to which he was warming 
up so much as to greatly increase the difficulty of his con- 
trol. The success of the experiment centered upon a few 
minutes' effort, and the anxiety I felt during these few 
minutes can scarcely be conceived. At this point the least 
mistake would have turned the result against me; but I was 
so fortunate as to make the experiment a complete success, 
driving him without breeching, as shown on page 76, which 
was originally given in Frank Leslie's Weekly, as a represen- 
tation of the result of the experiment upon this interesting 
case. 



148 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

TRIALS IN NEW YORK. 

The slightness of the circumstances upon which impor- 
tant events of my experience often turned, is a point of much 
interest. One, especially, which caused me at the time the 
greatest anxiety, I may be pardoned for referring to here. 
Twenty years ago New York City was, as now, the great 
metropolis of the country, and its horsemen were recognized 
as the most intelligent and critical of any in America, if not 
in the world. In horse-taming they had seen Rarey, Fan- 
cher, Hamilton, and others, — all men who commanded con- 
siderable attention. There had then been in the city, as 
before stated, for over three months, Pratt in one part and 
Rockwell in another, both making the most extravagant pre- 
tensions of being authors of a new and improved system, etc. 
The result was that the people had become indifferent or 
disgusted with everything in the line of such efforts. 

Under these circumstances it is easy to understand some- 
thing of the difficulties of a new applicant for favor, no matter 
what his claims, especially an unknown man from the coun- 
try, like myself. There seemed to be but one alternative, 
and that I determined to take. This was, if possible, first to 
enlist the attention of some persons of influence, and with this 
advantage to try to reach others. 

By far the most prominent patron and student of horses 
then, as I believe he is conceded to be yet, was Mr. Robert 
Bonner, the well-known owner of the New York Ledger. 
It was clear to me that he was, above all others, the man 
whose influence I wanted; but according to what I could 
learn, it was very difficult to reach him, he being carefully 
guarded b}^ a door-keeper, who made the most rigid interro- 
gations concerning the business of callers, and if not deemed 
of sufficient importance, admission was denied. It may be 
amusing to that gentleman now, should he happen to read 
these lines, to know that perhaps no single event of my 
experience up to that time caused me more anxiety than this. 



TRIALS IN NEW YORK. 149 

For two days I studied over the subject without the diffi- 
culty becoming in any way easier. 

Finally, I concluded there was nothing to do but to go 
straight ahead and make a trial. So I directed my steps to 
the well-known Ledger building; but upon reaching the 
entrance, m}^ courage failed me, and I went by, down Nassau 
street. For more than an hour I walked back and forth, pass- 
ing the building four times in succession before I dared to 
enter, and then I felt as if I would about as soon go into a lion's 
den. A circumstance that had occurred during a previous 
visit to New York only added to my embarrassment and anx- 
iety. In a public assembly, Mr. Bonner, being induced to 
misjudge my motives, sharply called me in question, when I 
was led to defend myself. 

I finally walked up the stairs, however, and made appli- 
cation for an interview. At my urgent appeal, the request to 
see him was carried in, but the reply quickly came back that 
he could not be seen. When difficulties seemed insurmount- 
able, it was then that my true nature would seem to assert itself, 
as it had many times before under trying circumstances. The 
incentive animating me would be, that after others would nat- 
urally fail, it was then there was credit in putting forth such 
efforts as would win success. So the sharp No ! that would 
seem to leave no alternative, was the sting that seemed neces- 
sa^ry to stimulate me to go through at any risk. Then there was 
that well-meant imputation that he had cast upon me years 
before, which I was bound at all hazards to efface. Now the 
time had come to make the effort, and it must be done at any 
cost. It is an interesting fact for me also to state, that under 
such circumstances, however desperate, though realizing the 
narrowness of my chances, I did not feel the least doubt 
of my success. So to meet the emergency, on the impulse of 
the moment, I took from my pocket $i,ooo, and spreading 
the bills carefully in my hand, I again called up the gentle- 
man in the outer office, and said to him: — 

"Will you say to Mr. Bonner that a gentleman has 



150 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

come nearly a thousand miles on business of great import- 
ance to him, and will require but one minute? " 

It was only by great persuasion that he was induced to 
carry this message, when the words, "Let him come in," 
reached my ears. Never was a word more welcome. The 
time I had so long waited for had come. Upon entering I 
said: — 

"You, sir, I am aware, know everything that has been 
taught and practiced under the head of horse-taming." 

"Yes." 

"Well," I replied, " if I cannot take the most vicious 
horse that can be produced — one that any man, in New York 
or outside of it, whether living or dead, has failed upon, and 
within forty minutes, by entirely new and original methods 
of treatment you know nothing about, make him gentle and 
obedient, even within the limits of a box stall, and demon- 
strate to you that I am the only man who can rightfully claim 
being the author of a new and original system of equine sub- 
jection, I will forfeit you a thousand dollars, which I hold in 
my hand." 

Such a proposition was, as I meant it to be, startling. 
He looked me over questioningly, and finally asked: — 

" How can you do that, sir? " 

Whereupon I briefly gave him an outline of such points 
of treatment as I believed would be most interesting. 

Though upon my entrance I was so excited that I 
scarcely realized what I said or did, before I knew it, I found 
myself talking entirely at ease with a quiet, genial gentleman, 
with whom I had nearly an hour of the most interesting con- 
versation. 

I could hardly have sought an interview at a more inop- 
ortune occasion; as he was at the time reading the last proofs 
of the Ledger, there being eight presses waiting for his ap- 
proval. After explaining the situation, he said, "I wish a 
further opportunity to talk with you," and invited me to re- 



MV PONY EXHIBITIONS. 151 

new the interview the same evening, which resulted in the 

experiment previously referred to. 

Now, if I had failed to reach Mr. Bonner, or failed in 

the experiment upon the case referred to, as promised, it 

would not only have entirely changed the current of my 

efforts for years, but this work would probably never have 

been written. 

MY PONY EXHIBITIONS. 

As my ponies grew to be such an interesting feature, I 
was led to give extra free exhibitions with them evenings; 
and to give more zest to their performance, was finally led to 
carry with us a small though superior band of musicians. 
Dr. Williams, my manager, repeatedly urged me to charge 
an admission fee for these exhibitions, arguing that they 
really were the most interesting feature of the kind ever ex- 
hibited, and that the people would gladly pay for them; but 
dissenting from this flattering opinion, I refused to do so. 

Finally, one evening, when in Central Ohio, he said: — 

" Let me make the trial to-night of charging an admis- 
sion." 

With the purpose of putting him off, I replied, "Sup- 
pose you try it at ten cents? " 

"Oh," he said laughing, "no ten-cent show for me! It 
is worth twenty-five cents or nothing. You just keep away 
from us to-night, and let us try it." 

Upon my consenting, the experiment was so satisfactory 
that it led afterward to our making a regular charge for such 
exhibitions, thereby saving me from two to three hundred 
dollars a week. 

These exhibitions grew into such favor that I finally 
added to them a few interesting features, making them a 
specialty. Though the experiment was continued but a few 
months, many incidents occurred of so unique a character as 
to be worthy of mention. I will refer to a few representative 
ones. 



152 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 



OBERLIN INCIDENT. 

Among the points advertised was the famous college 
town of Oberlin, O. Several days before the time of appoint- 
ment I was suddenly confronted by a representative from 
there, with the information that my exhibition partook so 
much of the nature of a circus that it could not be permitted; 
that it would be useless for me to go there; that he had been 
specially appointed by the citizens to so notify me, and he 
was also authorized to inform me that should I refuse to 
accede to their request, they would on his return call a pub- 
lic meeting and give such expression to the demand as to 
show me that public opinion was so much opposed to me 
that it would be useless for me to come there; that it could 
not at any rate he permitted. 

In repl}' I told him to go home and tell his people to go 
on with their meeting, and I would meet them there the next 
evening. 

According to his statement, next evening, sure enough, 
the town bell was rung as if for a general alarm, and the town 
hall was soon packed with a concourse of people, led by the 
professors of the college; and for nearly an hour they cer- 
tainly roasted me pretty well, stating in the most positive 
terms that the exhibition would not be perm'itted. 

During this discussion, no one said a word to me person- 
ally ; but there being finally a pause, as if to say, "Now 
show yourself, if you dare," I went forward and presented 
myself. After acknowledging my respect for the opinions of 
the eminent citizens, and my unwillingness to be a cause of 
the slightest annoyance or embarrassment to them, I called 
their attention to the fact that there was a side to the matter 
that had been entirely overlooked by them. I then explained 
the character of the entertainment, told them that the ponies 
had been exhibited before the most refined and cultivated 
people, not only of the large cities but in the country, and 
that their performance had been accepted as one of the most 



OBERLIN INCIDENT. 153 

interesting and instructive illustrations of the sagacity and 
intelligence of the horse that had perhaps ever been given; 
that it was, in fact, an entertainment of a highly educational 
character. I then touched upon the kindred conditions of 
practical subjection, calling attention to the ignorance of 
even the most highly educated, upon this important subject, 
making no exception even of the eminent professors who had 
just been so mercilessly scoring me.* 

These points I drove home without mercy, and being now 
fairly stirred up, I reminded them that outside of interfering 
with my well-defined rights, it would be little short of pitiable 
to let the idea get out that they could not stand a little exhi- 
bition of this kind; could they, in fact, afford to make them- 
selves so ridiculous ? 

At any rate the argument, though necessarily simple, 
and not exceeding twenty minutes, was so effective that 
although previously the sentiment had been entirely against 
me, the reaction was so strongly in my favor, that upon put- 
ting it to vote it was, with one dissenting voice excepted, 
unanimously in favor of my exhibiting. So I not only carried 
out the program of the exhibition, which I may say was a 
decided success, but while there was treated with the great- 
est kindness. 

An incident of much interest in connection with this 
event I will refer to here for the first time. After the 
adjournment of the meeting, on my return to the hotel, I was 
waited upon by a delegation of students to advise me that 
they were appointed by their college classmates to notify me 
that they in no wise sanctioned the treatment to which I had 
been subjected by their professors, and that regardless of dis- 
cipline they intended at all hazards to come to the exhibition. 

I said to them: "Tell your friends, for me, that while I 
fully appreciate their interest, and nothing would please me 

* See Chapter XVII, page 210, where some startling facts are given 
regarding the ignorance on this subject. In the Introductory Explana- 
tions, first chapter, page 31, of my regular work, these points are ex- 
plained more fully. 



154 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

more than to have them come to my exhibition, their real in- 
terest demanded that they should on no consideration think 
of doing so; that they were here at large expense to their par- 
ents, under the special care of the professors, whose only 
object was to do the best they could for their interests; that 
the restraints of discipline were necessary to efficiently man- 
age the school; and on no condition must they think of disre- 
garding the authorities; finally, that if they insisted upon 
doing so, rather than have them carry out such a purpose, I 
should refuse to exhibit there. As I learned afterward, they 
reluctantly acceded to my wishes, and gave up the project. 



CHAPTER XII. 



managinTj a disorderly element— leaving the road, 
publishing my system. 



A^ 



S an illustration of the delicacy, 
yet rugged firmness, often nec- 
W^^W^^W^^ W\ sssary in the management of well- 
M \ B ^ W\\ i^ieaning but impulsive people, I give 

"'^^'^^^^^^^fefe;^^ an incident in point. At a point in 
Eastern Michigan, before the canvas was put up, the mar- 
shal of the place gave me formal notice that it would be 
impossible to give an exhibition there without having a row. 
In explanation he stated that the people from the next town 
— about a mile distant — which was over the line in another 
county, and composed mainly of lumbermen, would come 
and make trouble, and then run back over the line, where 
they would be safe from arrest. It seemed to be a settled 
plan with them, not to allow a canvas show to be given there, 
without their making a row and breaking it up. 

I, at once, felt as if in my element. The apparent diffi- 
culties of the case furnished just the reason why I felt like not 
only making the trial, but making it a success. In conse- 
quence of the emphatic warning, my men were so demoral- 
ized that they at first refused to go on with the work, and it 
was only with great effort that I was enabled finally to per- 
suade them to put up the canvas, giving them the strongest 
assurance that there should be no trouble. During the after- 
noon I was again notified by a town officer that I could not be 
protected, and he again stated plainly that it was nothing short 
of absolute folly to attempt giving an exhibition there, as it 
would be sure to result disastrously to me. But, as before, I 
replied that there would be no trouble; that if he would take 

[155 1 



156 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

care of his own people, I would manage the others. There 
was naturally much anxiety among the people as to the 
result. 

At the time of the exhibition there was a large crowd in 
attendance, the canvas being packed. Notwithstanding my 
seeming carelessness, I was not the less indifferent to the real 
difficulties of the situation, and had carefully prepared my- 
self for the struggle. Feeling that I would be entirely safe 
in appealing to their pride, I accordingly made this the point 
of my attack upon them. As the first step in accomplishing 
this, before commencing, I repeated the statements made to 
me, with the efforts to dissuade me from giving an exhibition 
there (making these points as absurd as I could), at the same 
time adding that I was so confident that they were grossly 
misrepresented that I felt perfectly safe in taking the chances 
with them. At any rate I would try it. Following this, I put 
to vote the question of they themselves guaranteeing the pres- 
ervation of order, which, as I anticipated, was carried with 
great enthusiasm by a unanimous vote. 

Though ordinarily the ponies were worked by an assist- 
ant, as in the preceding incident, I felt the emergency to be 
so serious that the least mistake would be disastrous, and so 
concluded to work them myself. All proceeded smoothly until 
suddenly a couple of men jumped up and commenced dancing 
andsinging. This was the signal for starting the row. Without 
a word I stopped, implying, " This is entirely your business." 
There being perfect quiet, save from their disturbance, it 
made their actions seem so ridiculous that one of their lead- 
ers jumped down from a seat, took one of them by the collar, 
and said: — 

" None of that here to-night! You fellows sit down and 
keep quiet, or I'll knock your d heads off! " 

The exhibition then went on to the close without a break 
or single expression of unpleasantness, and I certainly never 
had a more appreciative audience. 

The many incidents out of my long experience in connec- 



REAL SECRETS OF MY SUCCESS. 157 

tion with the performance of my horses and ponies, would be 
alone sufficient to make a large work. 

In all my efforts I was animated by this feeling: that there 
was no merit in doing what others would naturally do; that 
success worthy the name consisted in doing what they would 
not have the patience or persistence to do. Impressed with 
this idea, when confronted with an obstacle that seemed 
insurmountable — one that would naturally discourage or de- 
feat others — it was then that I felt spurred to make such an 
effort as would overcome all difficulties. Many times, when 
all seemed lost, animated by this spirit, and holding on with 
an unflinching purpose, I was enabled to make a decided suc- 
cess, when, had I in the least yielded to discouragement, it 
would not only surely have resulted in disaster and failure at 
the time, but would have had great influence upon the success 
of my efforts afterward. Sometimes, in fact, it seemed as 
though the success of my entire life centered upon a few min- 
utes' treatment. 

While there has been many an incident and circumstance 
which at the time were causes of severe trial, and not infre- 
quently of much anxiety to me, they were in reality only 
sources of the greatest ultimate advantage, because those who 
tried to push me the hardest were, though unintentionall}^ 
the best of teachers and friends because constantly inspiring 
and forcing me to the utmost limit of my efforts, and thus to 
final success. 

REAL SECRETS OF MY SUCCESS. 

If I were to be asked, to what single condition more than 
any other, outside of my understanding of the subject, did I 
owe my success, I should say it was in being perfectly honest 
with the public, and preserving the greatest simplicity of hab- 
its. I aimed to advertise only what I could do, if anything, 
inside of it, so as to give myself reasonable assurance of be- 
ing able to do more than I had promised. It was one of my 
rigid rules that my word or promise given, either publicly 



158 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

or privately, could not be broken. In harmony with this 
purpose, I kept entirely beyond the line of anything like 
trickery or jockeyism. I felt the subject to be one of the larg- 
est and most interesting to which the intelligent mind could 
well be directed; and inspired by this spirit, I tried to present 
it for consideration in a way not only to command confidence 
and respect, but to show that the knowledge of it was one of 
the most important and valuable branches of a really liberal, 
practical education. 

When I first took the road, I made three resolutions, 
and though conscious of having erred in a thousand ways, in 
other respects, through all my experience and public life, 
I held to them rigidly: First, that I would not indulge in 
intoxicating liquors; second, not to use tobacco in any of 
its forms; third, that I would not bet nor gamble. And I 
can now see that there were many times when, had I not 
held firmly to these conditions, wreck and failure would have 
surely been the result. 

An interesting fact that I may here refer to, is that in all 
my experience with horses, so far as I know, I never caused 
serious injury to one. When it is considered that I have un- 
doubtedly experimented upon more really vicious and dan- 
gerous horses (and this too frequently under the most unfav- 
orable conditions,) than has been the lot of any man of any 
age or period of history, such a statement may be doubted, 
but it is nevertheless strictly true. 

Something of the significance of this statement can be 
understood by the fact that this experience extended over a 
period of twenty years of the most varied and trying experi- 
menting upon all sorts of vicious horses. 

In this connection I may be permitted to explain a fact 
that I never before referred to either privately or publicly. 
This was that it seemed as if I had been pushed into the 
work and forwarded in it by a power entirely above my own, 
for a special purpose; and during my later years, especiall}^ 
it became my intention, but just how I did not know, to 



SPECIAL MENTION. 159 

bring the advantages of my work to attention in a way to 
show the necessity and importance of having it made 
a part of the practical education of young men, and 
particularly for the use of agricultural colleges. If the 
statements made by me are really true (and they are true 
in every particular), outside of its humanity, it is evident 
that the value and importance of such knowledge to the com- 
munity in general cannot well be overestimated; that it is a 
work that is certainly in the highest degree worthy of being 
raised above the degrading and vulgarized efforts of ignorant 
pretenders. And this, so far as my health will permit, it is 
my purpose to do, as far as I can, in the spirit of missionary 
work. This has been the real object of my work, "Facts 
for Horse Owners." 

SPECIAL MENTION. 

During my long public life, above all others with whom 
I became acquainted, there were two men to whose wisdom 
and kindly counsel and interest I feel so greatly indebted as 
in this connection to entitle them to special mention. 

First, Dr. Thomas Burton, of Fultonville, N. Y. , who 
not only contributed greatly to my success in that part of the 
State, but for years followed me with words of counsel and 
encouragement. Over and over, this gentleman impressed 
upon me the importance of giving the people the very best 
instruction I could, and especially to keep entirely above the 
plane of anything like trickery. When at Huntersville, and 
parties from Minaville came to demand their money, before 
referred to, it was the fear of compromising this friend — he 
having made himself responsible for me in that neighborhood 
— that led me to go back to that place again and repeat the 
trial. Upon meeting him afterward, his benevolent smile, as 
he took me by the hand, repaid me a hundred fold for the 
trouble and expense involved. 

The other is Mr. Robert Bonner. The kindly advice 
and many sensible suggestions given me by this gentleman, 



160 



MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 



more particularly in pointing out faults, with the importance 
of correcting them, have been of invaluable service to me. The 
writing of my work, and whatever of merit in it, although he 
has not directly had anything to do with it, has really 
been the result of the far-reaching influence of his counsel 
and encouragement. And I may add that it affords me 
great pleasure to have an opportunity, in this connection, 
to express my grateful acknowledgment for such kindly and 
. r disinterested service. 



ASSISTANTS. 

It is but just that I 
should mention that a 
large part of my success 
was due to the faithful 
co-operation of my as- 
sistants. First among 
these was Dr. Harlow 
Williams, now engaged 
in the practice of the 
veterinary profession in 
Jamestown, N. Y. , who 
occupied the position of 
superintendent and gen- 




Dr. Thomas Burt-: 



eral assistant. Not only was he always in the highest de- 
gree trusty and faithful in the performance of his duties, 
but a man of the highest integrity, whose services were 
invaluable to me. 

Second, Mr. E. B. Sims, now of Utica, N. Y. , was with 
me seven years as advertising manager, and was in his place 
especially valuable to me. Mr. Sims was not only one of the 
most genial and interesting men I ever knew, but a man of 
the highest integrity. I could always rely upon his work 
being faithfully done. 

Next, Mr. Thomas Johnson, who was with me nearly ten 
years. Mr. Johnson, for a number of years, had the care of 



ASSISTANTS. 



161 




Dr. Harlo-w Williams. 



my horses, and during my later years on the road rendered 

me valuable service by relieving me in the instruction of 

classes, and from the 

most onerous work of 

making experiments, in 

which he became quite 

successful. 

The severe strain to 

which I had long been 

subjected, finally so im- 
paired my health that 

during the last few years, 

especially of active life, 

it was only with the 

greatest effort that I was 

able to continue the 

business. Finally, in the early winter of 1878, there was 

such a sudden and complete breaking down of my health 

that I could do no more, and was compelled to leave the 

road for good. This proved so serious that notwithstanding 

the advantages of the 
best medical and sani- 
tary treatment since 
then, I have been un- 
able to make more than 
a partial recovery. After 
leaving the road, I spent 
the first three years at 
the Mountain Park 
Home, Wernersville, 
Pa. ; and the last thir- 
teen 3'ears at the great 
Sanitarium at Battle 
Creek, Michigan, an 

illustration of which is given, where I still find a pleasant 

home. 




Mr. E. B. Sims. 




■t^ 






BOOK. 



163 



BOOK. 

Knowing that the best features of my work would be 
lost, or at best be so garbled as to be seriously defective and 
misleading, I finally determined to carry out a purpose I had 
for many years in mind, of writing out in book form the full 
details of my system of treatment, including such other fea- 
tures of interest as I believed to be most valuable for general 
instruction and reference. 

Though at first in putting this in book form I intended 
to give but the 
merest facts of my 
treatment, such as 
I gave in my in- 
structi ons to 
classes, after tak- 
ing it up, it finally 
so grew upon my 
hands as to make it 
the large work as 
now published.* 

The aim of the 
writer has been to 
have it as near the 
standard of what 
it should be as pos- 
sible for him to make; in addition, that it should be such a cul- 
mination of my efforts as to be in every way worthy of them, 
as well as acceptable to my many scholars and other friends, f 

* The first edition contained a little over a thousand pages, with goo 
illustrations. As re-written, it comprises 1,200 pages, containing not 
only one-third more matter, but of a far better character, with over 
1,450 illustrations and plates, embodying the finest series of plates on 
the structure of the foot, etc., yet published in any single work. The 
engravings in this little work have been taken from the larger work. 

t After writing this part, I have been impressed with the necessity 
of giving a fuller and more complete explanation of the writing and 
preparation, affording something of an inside view of the trouble and 
expense of the preparation of this work, which will be found at the 
close of this little work. 




J. W 



( liairman of the committee referred 
to on fage bo. 




'\ "'^^^. 



CHAPTER XIV. 



MY TRAINED HORSES AND PONIES. 



THESE were so closely identified with my efforts that no 
account of my experience, however full, would be com- 
plete without making a brief reference to them, as they were 
conceded to be the most interesting feature of the kind ever 




Tommy . 

exhibited. It would not be possible to make a plea in words, 
however eloquent, that could at all approach in interest and 
effectiveness the performance of these ponies, as illustrative 
of the remarkable intelligence of horses, and the value of kind, 
intelligent treatment in their education and management. It 
would be easy to train horses to do tricks, and tricks of a 

[165] 



166 



MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 



very complicated and extraordinary character, this being a 
matter simply of a little time and effort; but to secure horses 
of the physical form and perfection desired, and teach them 




== X 



to do something so much out of the ordinary line of what 
horses are expected to do as to bring out their best powers in 
obedience, and at the same time exhibit more strikingly to 



DRIVING WITHOUT REINS. 



167 



the popular mind the importance and value of kind, intelli- 
gent treatment, could only be accomplished by the efforts of 
years and at a large expense of time and trouble. The 
troupe of trained horses I exhibited, especially during m}^ 
later years on the road, were, for their number, admitted to 
be the finest and most valuable ever exhibited in this or in 
any other countr3^ 

First came the performance of driving spirited stallions 
to carriage in the open street, without bridle or reins, and 




Tommy in /lis thmving ail. 

wonderful as it may seem, showing such a degree of obedi- 
ence and control by the simple motions of a whip as could 
not be equaled by the handling of even the best trained 
horses with reins. In this performance the horses were 
driven fast or slow, turned right or left, stopped, backed, 
turned in any manner, let out on a fast trot or run, yet under 
such perfect control that at any point desired, could be stopped 
instantly; showing them to be under the most perfect obedi- 
ence to the slightest motions of the whip. It was particularly 



168 



MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 



impressive in showing the control that could be obtained 
over horses considered the most difficult to manage, and that 
by so simple a means of control and guidance as the whip. 

The interest attaching to this performance was some- 
thing wonderful. As a teaching of common experience, it 
seemed, in the first place, to the public mind a thing so diffi- 
cult as to be practicably impossible; because knowing a 
stallion to be so headstrong and instinctively unmanageable, 
especially when seeing or brought near other horses, that he 




Tommy chasing a boy out of the ring. 

could not be held; and the idea of controlling two horses of 
this character before a carriage in this way, with heads en- 
tirely free, giving them the liberty to fight and pitch at each 
other, which it would be natural to suppose they would do 
under such circumstances, seemed simply so perilous as to be 
beyond belief. The only explanation that seemed to them 
reasonable was, that there must be some secret rigging to 
restrain them. 

If there was any one present who had happened to have 
seen it, he would be regarded as a specially favored one, and 
his statements accepted with open-mouthed wonder. The 
result would be such a curiosity excited in relation to it that 



BLIND BILLY, 169 

people would come frequently from points twenty to fifty 
miles distant, in crowds on every road, at the time advertised, 
to see if it could be really done. When, however, the feat 
was performed, the horses being driven with such a swing- 
ing, free gait as to leave no possible suspicion of trickery, it 
would be accepted as simply wonderful. It will be remem- 
bered that, after a few hours' training, I performed this inter- 
esting feat upon the Malone horse at Cleveland, and which 
really was a startling feat.* 

This performance was, however, but as an introduction 
to the wonderful character of that of the ponies, which was 
admitted to be the most remarkable exhibition of equine sa- 
gacity ever given. 

Chief among these was a blind pony of the most beauti- 
ful model, which would move and act so promptly in obeying 
commands that one could scarcely believe he was blind. 
This pony would, at command, do any trick or number of 
tricks, rapidly in succession. For example, he would run a 
circle right or left, stop, jump as if in play, kick, sit down on 
his haunches on either side like a dog, squeal, laugh, walk on 
his knees, on his hind feet, play " blind-man's buff," — acting 
the art of play from mere sound, by running after and catch- 
ing one, — and do all this with the apparent enthusiasm and 
interest of the most joyous boy or girl. Many other features 
of the most interesting character that would be regarded ex- 
tremely difficult for any horse to do that could see, were 
promptly performed by this blind pony. To show some- 
thing of his remarkable performances, I include the editorial 
notices, which are but fair representations of any number of 
like character that could be given. 

"Among Prof. Magner's fine troupe of horses is one that 
is blind. This beautiful pony — for he is a beaut}^ — is a won- 
der. He seems to understand every word said to him, and 



* This feature of training, which was really one of the most interest- 
ing ever exhibited, is of so much interest that I am led to give in another 
part the facts of how to train horses to drive in this way. 



170 



MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 



will perform the most difficult feats with an ease and rapidity 
that is really surprising. He will go to any part of the 
ring, find and bring a handkerchief, take it from his leg or 
any part of his body, go lame, go right or left, back, go ahead, 
sit down like a dog on either side, squeal like a pig, roll over, 
walk and kick on his knees, put his ears back and forward, 
kiss, with many other tricks, showing the greatest intelli- 
gence and skillful training. 




Blind Billy . 

" He was not touched with the whip during the whole 
performance. Mr. Magner simply stood at the center-pole 
and talked to him as he would to a boy. He is, without a 
doubt, the finest and most remarkable performing horse in 
the world." 

But in the way of real sensational performance and fine 
acting, the noted pony Tommy was, if possible, more unique 
and interesting, and it is certain that in his line of perform- 
ance he was never, so far as known, equaled or approached. 



TRICK PONY, TOMMY. 171 

This little fellow was not only one of the most consummate 
actors, but was without doubt one of the few really 
wonderful performing horses of the world. He would on 
the instant assume in the most perfect manner the 
expression and actions of viciousness; with ears back 
and mouth open, he would run for a man, and with 
the apparent fierceness of a mad dog, drive him out 
of the ring, yet at the merest intimation, instantly change 
back to the appearance and actions of the most docile pet, 
then again to that of viciousness, repeating this as often as 
required. He would go through the forms of telling fortunes, 
examine boys' heads, tell his own age, pick out a good-looking 
lady, while he would wheel and kick at a homely man. As 
proof of his perfect docility, he would allow any little boy to 
go under him, between his legs, mount and ride him in any 
manner, carry one or more on his back at a time, yet at com- 
mand, he would instantly throw any rider from his back. 
Although he was so trained that at a certain signal, which 
would not be noticed by the audience, he would throw the 
rider as hard as he could, this demand was never made 
excepting in extreme emergencies. There was also a prepar- 
atory signal telling him to be on the alert, which he under- 
stood perfectly. His ordinary signals were, first, to barely 
make an effort without apparently being able for some time to 
throw the rider; another, to get the rider off but not to throw 
him severely; and another, to make no effort to do so, no 
matter what the excitement or other indication. 

To give an idea of the superior character of this per- 
forming pony, I quote an incident which was only part of 
what was common in his daily performance: — 

" Mr. Magner's tent is crowded daily to witness the per- 
formances of his wonderful ponies and attend his lectures. 
One of the beautiful ponies, among other amusing perform- 
ances, will when desired, throw any one from his back. Yes- 
terday, when Tommy was introduced, a crack circus-rider 
came forward to ride him for the reward of one hundred dol- 
lars. He stated that he came from New York to eret the 



172 



MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 



money. At this turn in affairs a general stir was manifested, 
which culminated in the most intense excitement. It was 
proved that no ordinary man could ride this cunning little 
fellow, as shown by his performances for weeks. But here 
was a trained athlete that could turn a somersault on a horse 
bareback without being thrown; would it be possible to 
throw him ? There were serious apprehensions that he could 
not. Mr. Magner stood, with the reserve characteristic of 
him, contemplating the intruder, as if to say, " You may do 
it, but not if I can prevent it;' while the other stood with 
folded arms, showing the most perfect confidence in himself. 

" The immense throng 
present was hushed into 
silence, waiting for the 
contest. A signal brought 
Tommy upon a run, when 
the athlete was invited to 
come forward, who, dis- 
daining help, lightly 
bounded upon the pony's 
back; but before he had 
time to say Jack Robinson, 
Tommy commenced a 
series of gyrations that 

Tommy as the model gentle pouy. would astOnish an Indian, 

and sent his man fully six feet into the air. It was beau- 
tifully and grandly accomplished; but would he, could he, 
do it again ? 

" The trial was made, and, as before, the pony went into 
the air with the quickness of lightning, and after a little more 
prolonged effort, sent his man heavily to the ground. But 
the contest was not yet over. All the desperation that pride 
and confidence could excite seemed to be now called into the 
actions of the man for a final test. He mounted more care- 
fully, and, with a grasp of iron, awaited the onset. It soon 
came; for Tommy, seeming to be now conscious of the task 
upon him, twisted, turned and jumped like a demon, his eyes 
flashing fire, until, with a tremendous bound, he sent the man 
high in the air from his back, this time fully vanquished. It 
was a grand performance. Many, with feelings of intense 
admiration, crowded forward to caress the noble little fellow, 
while Mr. Magner seemed as proud of his pet as if he had 




PJ^ESS COMMENTS. 



173 



won a kingdom. It was the finest and most exciting exhibi- 
tion we ever witnessd." — Buffalo (TV. K.) Courier. 

On page 177, I give a more extended account of a char- 
acteristic incident, with the interest attached to it, which will 
be read with special interest, in connection with what is said 
here regarding him. 

Many times the real key or point of my success was 
dependent upon the performance of this pon)^, when without 
it my efforts must have resulted in signal failure. During my 
visit to Cleveland, for exam- 
ple, when failure seemed in- 
evitable, and all was lost, as 
stated, the performance of 
this pony enabled me to get 
the attention of the crowd 
again, thus making it the op- 
portunity for another trial, 
when I made it a flattering sj^^fc_ 
success. This is but a fair 



example of the interest 2.1- Tommy allowing the boy to pass under lu 

tached to and the value of his performances to me. 

The intelligence and sagacity shown by these horses was, 
in some respects, really wonderful. To show something of 
this, I will include here what was said about their perform- 
ances in all parts of the country visited by me:-- 

" Last night a large number of our leading citizens, by 
special invitation, were present at Prof. Magner's exhibition 
on Champlain street. 

"The first exercise was performed by blind Billy, a 
pony, stone blind. The pony sat down at a word from his 
master, and walked upright on his hind legs several times 
around the ring. A handkerchief was thrown down in the 
ring, and the pony ordered by his master to find it. After 
walking around a few minutes, the pony came to a stand 
and seized the article in its mouth. Several other interest- 
ing tricks were performed by this blind pony, but the 
most laughable scene took place when the spotted wild horse, 




174 



MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 



Tommy, was introduced. He presented every appearance of 
a wild steed, and ran restively about with distended nostrils 
and fiery eye, his mane bristling like the quills of a fretful 
porcupine, but at the approach of his master he became as 
tame as a lamb. Every one was invited to try their eques- 
trian skill on Tommy, and all who tried were thrown to the 
ground, tenderly, but in the twinkling of an eye. Mr. Mag- 
ner offered $ioo to any man who would ride Tommy one 
minute. Several tried, but none were rewarded with suc- 
cess. One ambitious gentleman threw off his hat, coat, and 
vest, and said he 'would be d d if he didn't ride him.' 




Fig. loi. 



-Blind Billy running after and ralching his trainer when 
playing blind, man'' s bnfi. 



Tommy was too much for him. He was thrown several 
times, and finally concluded that he had better let Tommy 
have his own way." — Cleveland Leader. 

" FUN ON THE PARADE. 

"The parade yesterday morning presented such a lively 
scene as has not been witnessed for some time. The occa- 
sion was the exercise of some trained horses by Mr. Magner. 
Straw was plentifully strewn on tne ground, and expectation 
was high while the arrangements were going on. A cordon 
of boys and men was arranged, a rope placed in their hands, 
and a ring formed around the straw, into which soon pranced 
the first animal. This one cut up all sorts of circus capers, 
the most notable and most heartily applauded feat being the 
dexterous unseating of a small colored boy, who had the 



TURCO'S TRICKS. 175 

hardihood to allow himself to be placed astride the animal. 
Next came a totally blind animal, which performed miracu- 
lous antics at bidding. 

"The last feature was the crowning one. A spotted 
horse was let into the arena amid the plaudits of the vast as- 
semblage present on the ground, and the Reform Club, 
which appeared e?i masse at the windows. After various ges- 
ticulations by the horse, a challenge was sent to the multi- 
tude for some one to mount. A larger darky essayed the 
task; but no sooner had he pronounced himself 'ready' than 
spotty raised his hindermost legs, lowered his head, and 
L. D. went careering through the air. 'Golly, boss! dat 
boss can't do dat again;' and so up he went again, to be 
treated the same way, only more so. A fairer complexioned 
auditor then attempted it, but he was treated in like manner. 
In fact, it is quite impossible for any one to remain seated 
when that horse takes a notion to unseat him. The prompt 
unseating of these two worthies so amused the multitude that 
Mr. M. thought they had had fun enough for one day, and 
so announced the show over. His power over untamed 
horses is said to be marvelous. — JVew London (^Conn.) Evening 
Gazette. 

To illustrate further something of the intelligence and 
sagacity of these horses, when in a stall, Turco would allow 
no one around him, and it was frequently amusing to have a 
hostler come to me, sa3ang, " That horse is so vicious that I 
cannot go near him," and Turco would act this out so cun- 
ningly that it appeared to be unmistakable. It was often a 
source of great amusement when I would go out and say, 
"Turk, this man is telling bad stories about you; he says you 
are vicious. I want you to show him that you are the gen- 
tlest horse he has ever had anything to do with, and that you 
are only playing a part; " after which the man could go as he 
pleased around or even under him with the most perfect 
safety. When driving him without reins, he seemed to know 
just as well as I did what was wanted. Among other fea- 
tures of his performance, I could put him on a run and turn 
him so short around as to have the wagon upset, and the 
moment he felt it going over, he would instantly stop and 



176 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

look around as if to say, "I am waiting for you." As soon 
as I righted the wagon and got in, he would again plunge 
ahead with the apparent fierceness of a wild horse, but con- 
stantly turning his head right and left, the better to see and 
obey my slightest command. At a certain signal which 
told him of danger, no matter how fast he was going, he 
would stop instantly, throwing himself back upon his hind 
quarters with his fore feet forward, and fairly sliding on the 
ground. 

When talking to a crowd to illustrate points, by simply 
saying to him, "Turk, I want you to show the people how 
much a horse knows, — that you really understand what I say 
to you, — kick just a little;" he would barely move his hind 
parts from the ground. " Kick a little harder," and finally 
at, " Kick very hard," he would kick up between the shafts, 
even throwing his feet over the dash, but without touching 
it, and look around at me as if to say, "Haven't I done that 
well?" When free from harness, with nothing on him, if 
crowded upon too closely by the people, by my simply say- 
ing, "Turk, drive them back," he would wheel around and 
kick just hard enough to frighten them, but not to hurt any 
one, and force them back better than it would be possible for 
half a dozen men to do. 

Another horse, Gifford, while dancing around the ring 
in the most docile manner, with a man on his back, at a sig- 
nal such as implied that the man was one that a good horse 
should not carry, would give a series of such bounds into the 
air that the man, if not thrown off, would be glad enough to 
jump off the best way he could and run out of the ring; then 
again he would carry any one in the most gentle manner. At 
a signal he could not be led; again, any child could lead 
him. He would give the most perfect imitation of sickness 
by lying down, rolling and groaning; yet on the instant sig- 
naled, jump up, run around the ring and spring into the air, 
showing that he was onl}^ playing. 

Tommy would beg as plainly for presents of apples or 



A CHARACTERISTIC INCIDENT. 177 

other delicacies as it would be possible for any boy or girl to 
do. If I happened to have an apple in my pocket, no mat- 
ter how industriously he had been at work, he would watch 
his opportunity to run around behind me and try to get his 
nose into the pocket for it; then if he could not reach it he 
would run around in front of me and go through with some 
of his most amusing tricks, begging for it as plainly as could 
be, and then run back again and repeat the effort to get the 
apple out of my pocket; and all with such a comical expres- 
sion that it excited the greatest amusement, and was one of 
the best illustrations that could well be given of his wonder- 
ful sagacity. A certain signal indicated to him when he had 
his hardest work to do and when he must make his greatest 
effort, but it also said to him, "If you do well, you shall 
have a nice present;" and it was comical to see how anxious 
he would be to earn it. He showed that he knew as well as 
any one else when the act was well done, by coming and ask- 
ing for his pay, which he always got; for I made it a point 
never to deceive or disappoint my horses, in any such prom- 
ises to them. 

I give portraits from life of this interesting group, with 
a few of their performances. 

A CHARACTERISTIC INCIDENT. 

I may be permitted to state that there were many inci- 
dents in connection with the performances of these ponies, 
more particularly those of Tommy, which were identified 
with some of my most trying experiments, and I have thought 
it of interest to include here the full details of a characteristic 
example. 

Once at a point in Southern Michigan, at the general 
morning exhibition, before organizing a class, a little boy 
happening to hang to the pony's neck, and fearing an injury 
to him, I did not dare to call upon the pony to exert himself 
sufficiently to throw him. There was an immediate effort to 
try to make a point of this, it being claimed that he had 

12 



178 



MEMOIRS OF MA GNER. 



technically ridden the pony, for which it was insisted that he 
be paid a forfeiture of ^5. 

Explaining first that I did not advertise to give any sum 
for riding the pony; but, that any one who felt that they could 
ride him and take their own risk of being hurt, had the lib- 
erty of making the trial, and if they could do so, could have 
five dollars, when the matter could be quickly settled whether 
the pony could be ridden or not. Notwithstanding this, I 
was annoyed to find, during the afternoon, that the father, 
thinking he had a point against me, counseled with a lawyer 




Tommy in his viciinis act defending the ring. 

with a view of taking it into court, and that there was a very 
ugly undercurrent of feeling against me on the part of the 
rabble. Being advertised to give a special exhibition there 
that evening, it portended trouble, about which I felt some- 
what anxious. 

A short time before the commencement of this exhibi- 
bition, a gentleman came to me sa3ang, "There is a plot 
formed to defeat you, and feeling that justice to you 
demands that you should know it, I take the liberty of telling 
you." It was that they had arranged to have six of their best 
young men ride the pony in succession, and as each would 
have three, chances, they expected in this way to so tire the 
pony out that they could defeat me. This gave me an 



A WELL-DEVISED PLOT. 179 

important point, and I proposed making the most of it; so I 
said to the man, " Don't tell anybody that I know anything 
about it. Let it be an entire secret between us, and I will 
give you some fun." 

The plot was really a good one, and had I not been put 
on my guard, might probably have succeeded in defeating me. 
I accordingly said to my assistant (Mr. Johnson), who usu- 
ally worked the ponies for me in the evening, that he could 
have a play spell, as I would work them myself that evening. 

Though a small country place, there was the usual large 
crowd from the surrounding region. As I expected, every- 
thing went smoothly until the performance of Tommy came 
on. Upon calling for riders there at once sprang into the 
ring a tall, athletic young man. I looked him over saying, 
"If this is a specimen of your boys here I must give you 
credit for having as good representations of young men as I 
have found in the State," and went on as usual, showing in a 
variety of ways the docility and sagacity of the pony. 

In bringing out these points sharply, I usually assumed 
that the boy had not been nice, perhaps stayed out nights, 
chewed tobacco, swore, or something else objectionable, and 
that as soon as the pony learned of this he would not 
only throw such a boy but drive him out of the ring. While, 
on the contrary, if the boy was a nice boy the pony would 
carry him or even a couple of them with the greatest possible 
docility. Then, if in a political strife, it was between repub- 
lican and democrat, being either thrown or carried according 
to the party he belonged to. Then sometimes, he would carrj^ 
both, and show how they straddled the fence, by throwing 
them both together, which he would unerringly do at any 
time and place on the instant of being signaled. 

In this place one side of the ground on which the ring 
was formed was hard and stony, while the rest of it was thick, 
soft yielding sod; and from the commencement I planned to 
make the punishment as effective as I could by doing the 
throwing on this hard place. 



180 



MEMOIRS OF MACNER. 



Upon getting the young man on I quietly told him that I 
would regard it a special favor for him not to try to stick on too 
hard, as I really feared he could ride the pony; and sent the 
pony round with the usual run of badinage to disguise my 
purpose; but the pony finally learning, as I intimated, that 
the boy was not a very nice fellow, after making a few pre- 
liminary motions, apparently making a great effort, upon get- 
ting to the hard ground he was signaled to throw him hard, 
and, as I anticipated, did it nicely. Upon coming up to 
repeat the experiment I said to him: " This was an accident, 

but don't try to stick too 
hard, as I am afraid you can 
disable the pony. The object 
is of course to make all the 
fun we can, but on the point 
of not sticking hard, don't 
give me away," and sent him 
around as before. The fellow 
now, however, was pretty 
well on his nerve, but the 
pony learning again of the 
young man committing some other grievous fault, with a 
single bound sent the fellow clean over his head to the 
ground. The third trial was a repetition of the others, and 
so continued with the next four, but with the interjection of 
such remarks and comments as would fit the peculiarity of 
each case, and so thus give the pony ample time to recover 
from the exertion, at the same time being careful not to 
throw them so hard as to frighten those to follow from com- 
ing in, until the sixth young man came forward. 

I may explain here that there was usually no limit as to 
the number of riders during these trials, but they rarely ex- 
ceed more than three or four. On this point, however, I was 
careful to make no comment, but intimating it to be of but 
ordinary occurrence. 

Anticipating that they held back their best man to the 




Blind Billy walking on his knees. 



THE TUG OF WAR. 



181 



last, I proposed making him feel the full force of what I could 
do, by taking the confidence out of him so thoroughly as to 
get the laugh on him; and in this"! was not disappointed, for 
the moment the call was made for the next rider, he jumped 
in, and disdaining assistance, sprang upon the pony's back 
with the air of the utmost confidence. I said to myself, 
"Young fellow you are a good one, but I guess I'll fix you 
so that you will be glad to have assistance when you get on 
next time." 

After going round the ring once or twice and making my 
usual comments, publicly in- 
timating to Tommy that the 
rider was no better than the 
others, upon the instant of 
getting to the hard place, I 
called on him to send him' 
with all the force he could to 
the ground, and never did he 
do it more handsomely or with ' ^ - ""^ ^ " 

greater force, fairly lifting the 
fellow from his back and 

.1 • „ 1 • -u • r, J Blind Bi'ilv kicking up . 

throwmg him over his head 

with such terrific force as to shake him up considerably. He 
finally got up, came forward slowly, went clear round the 
pony to look him over, when waiting my assistance, he cau- 
tiously got on, but holding with a grip that meant fight as if 
for his life; but, as before, upon coming to my chosen hard 
spot, sending him with almost the force of a bullet, which so 
stunned the fellow that he was hardly able to get up. 

The third time I knew would be the tug of war, and was 
prepared for it, and I never before saw a finer struggle. 
Twice the pony made an effort and was unable to dislodge 
him; but finally, as was usual in a supreme effort, I signaled 
him to the top of his speed around the ring again, and when 
he came to the hard point of ground I called on him, when, 
with a bound in the air, he sent the fellow clean and clear 




182 



MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 



from his back fully ten feet, and with such force that he was 
for some time unable to rise. 

I now turned to the people, saying the performances so 
far had been for the fun of it, just to wake up the pony, and 
I was now ready to show something of his real power; that 
I had learned there were some young men there, who during 
all the afternoon had been bragging that they would ride the 
pony at any hazard, and I was now ready for them to come in; 
but warning them that they must take their own risk of being 
hurt, at the same time promising that 
the one who could stay upon his back 
one minute could have an even ^loo. 
Looking up to the top of the canvas 
where there was a rent, I said: " Do you 
see that hole up there? Well ! the last 
young man who made his brags on what 
he could do riding this pony was thrown 
out of the top of the canvas, in proof 
of which there is the hole, and I guess 
Blind miywaiking erect, he is going yet; and I would warn these 
young men that if they try it they will probably go out 
there too." 

The crowd, catching the point of the joke, clapped their 
hands and shouted with such glee that they fairly shook 
the canvas when they subsided. The last young man upon 
getting up went round the pony, then stood off and looked at 
him saying, "You are safe in offering all the money you 
wish, for I'll bet there is not a man in the world who can 
ride him." 




CHAPTER XV. 



TEACHING TRICKS. 



AS it will be of interest to many of my readers to know 
. how the trick of throwing a rider is taught, I quote from 
the chapter on Teaching Tricks, in my regular work, the fol- 
lowing in relation to it: — 

It is of the first importance to secure the right kind of a 
pony, one so small that the fall will be as little as possible, 
yet so strong and active that he can carry and easily throw 
the strongest boy or man. A stallion is by all odds to be 
preferred, because having more style and action, and will 
usually be found more brainy and sensible. It is necessary 
not only to have a good-tempered one but one of a high order 
of intelligence and pluck, because while it is necessary that 
the pony should be able to throw the boy promptly, as de- 
sired, it is at the same time essential to success that he can 
be held in restraint to any degree and at any point that ma}^ 
be necessary; that is, not to throw any harder than may be- 
required. This requires not only intelligence, but a plastic 
temper. It would be a very serious thing, for example, for 
a pony to throw a small or sensitive boy so hard as to injure 
him. 

One of the strongest and most powerful ponies I ever 
saw or found was a little mustang, not quite twelve hands 
high, in Central Ohio. The point of throwing he took up as 
if by intuition, and although so small and low that the feet 
of an ordinary rider would almost touch the ground, he could 
throw the strongest man from his back with almost the force 
of a bullet. But because I could not tone him down so as to 
throw lightly as I wished, though in other respects one of 
the best ponies I ever saw, I had to discard him. 

[183 I 



184 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

I may mention here that Tommy was in all respects so 
nearly an ideal, in temperament, size, form and color, that 
for years I had a standing offer of a thousand dollars for a 
green pony that would be his equal, without being able to 
find one. 

With the pony selected, the first important point is to 
make him thoroughly gentle, which in most cases by my reg- 
ular treatment would rarely be the work of more than a few 
minutes. Second, to teach him to be entirely manageable to 
the control of the whip; that is, so that he could be taken 
into the street, or around anywhere, without anything on him, 
by the control of the whip alone. This, too, may seem a 
great feat to do, and yet when properly done it is one of the 
simplest and easiest imaginable. It is really wonderful how 
quickly and easily most horses can be taught to do this. 

It will be noted that in the story of my experience I 
refer, as a daily feat performed by me in Maine and other 
parts of the country, to being able to take any wild, unbroken 
colt into the street, entirely gentle and manageable, by the 
control of the whip alone, without bridle or halter, within 
twenty minutes. And extraordinary as it may seem, in no 
instance did I fail to be able to do this with the most perfect 
success, and this, too, while surrounded with a crowd of 
men and noisy boys. I would not, of course, assert that 
there were no horses that I could not do it with in this time, 
but I took the chances, and was always so fortunate as to be 
able to do it. The full details of this are given on page 155 
of my regular^work. 

This control by the whip being necessarily the ground- 
work of what is to follow, it should be well done. When 
accomplished, the next step is to have provided a ring or 
room thirty or forty feet in diameter, covered plentifully with 
sawdust, straw, or other soft material, in sufficient quantity 
to break the fall of the rider, yet not to seriously hamper the 
pony in his movements. Commence by teaching him to kick 
up, which can be easily done by pricking him a little on the 



TEACHING TRICKS. 185 

rump with a pin until there is inclination to kick up; then 
stop and caress him. This repeat until the least motion to- 
ward the rump will cause him to kick up; then touch the 
same part with the lash of a short buggy whip, until at the 
lightest motion of it, he will kick up. This done, put a boy 
on his back, and while holding by the halter, as before, with 
the light touch of the whip make him kick up, when, on the 
instant of his doing so, no matter how slightly, have the boy 
throw himself forward over the shoulders, or pull him off. 
Then encourage the pony by caressing him, giving him a 
piece of apple, or something of which he is fond. This is to 
be slowly and carefully repeated until he catches the idea, 
and makes an effort himself to get the boy off. With a little 
patience it is wonderful to see how quickly and intelligently 
a pony will catch this point. 

At this stage it is usually necessary to move very care- 
fully. With a boy on, commence by leading the pony around 
a short distance, and then signal for him to throw. Repeat 
in this manner, and finally let him go around alone, with the 
boy on his back, until he will go round on a sharp trot or 
run, and throw only when signaled to do so. All these pro- 
gressive steps should be made short; the pony, when he does 
well, should be encouraged, and treated with the greatest 
kindness, and he should never be taxed be3^ond what he can 
easily do. If at any stage he cannot throw the boy, let the 
boy at once throw himself off. 

The next important step is to carry one or more boys on 
his back without resistance, allowing them to go between his 
legs, under the body, etc., yet be ready at any time at the 
signal to throw either or both from his back. The rest, so 
far as making sure for the work to follow, is a matter of sim- 
ple practice. 

In my efforts in this direction it was my custom, after 
giving the pony the idea, to hire a number of boys, with 
whom to practice, so that gradually he was worked up to the 
point of making an effort, as if making a pidilic, trial and, 



18G MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

indeed, many of these experiments or efforts were frequently 
of the greatest interest. In Bath, N. Y., where I trained a 
number of ponies in this way, and where I had an amphithe- 
ater built expressly for the purpose, at the time of such les- 
sons it was not uncommon to have the tent filled with people. 
And frequently as interesting feats of riding and throwing 
would be brought out as I had ever given on the road. 

This act may be matched in with a number of other sim- 
ple ones, which can be easily taught, thereby making the 
pony seem very intelligent. For example, to teach to nod 
the head, or say yes, prick a little on the back with a pin, 
and continue until in his efforts to avoid annoyance he will 
drop the head a little, when stop and caress him, at the same 
time giving him something of which he is fond. In this way, 
continue to alternate the pricking and caressing, until at the 
least motion toward his back, or even of taking a pin from 
the coat, he will drop his head. 

To shake the head, or say no, prick him lightly with a 
pin on the top of the shoulder until he shakes his head, when, 
as before, stop and reward him. Repeat this pricking and 
rewarding until at the least motion of the hand from the collar 
and pointing toward the withers, the head will be shaken. 

To tell the age, prick lightly on the back part of the leg, 
just below the elbow, until, to avoid the annoyance, the foot 
is lifted, or there is an effort to paw; for this, stop and caress, 
as before. Simply repeat until the least motion toward this 
part will induce him to paw. 

Now combining these little tricks, we make a very inter- 
esting exhibition. First, we can say to the pony, " Say good 
morning to the people, " at the same time signaling him to 
bow the head. If he has been treated badly, he will shake 
his head, on being asked the question, if at the same time he 
is given the signal which he has been taught. It being nat- 
urally accepted as a wonderful proof of his intelligence to be 
able to tell his age, by stooping over a little as if to count, 
but indicating to him what is desired to be done, he will 



DRIVING WITHOUT REINS. 187 

commence to paw, and upon counting up to five, six or eight 
-years old, as may be desired, by straightening yourself up he 
will instantly stop. This may be carried a little farther, and 
make him appear very intelligent, by asking him to "kiss 
good morning," making him put his lips up to those of the 
trainer, examine a boy's head, etc., which can be easily taught. 

Tommy understood every signal so plainly, that while 
standing off from any distance, and giving the least intima- 
tion, he would obey instantly. Thus I could send him round 
the ring to pick out a good-looking lady, or homely man; the 
point was, stopping him at any point to nod or shake the head, 
just as I wished. On the point of throwing, he was wonder- 
fully intelligent, comprehending every point just as well as it 
was possible for any man to do. 

The training to drive spirited stallions without reins in 
the street is perhaps one of the most interesting and aston- 
ishing feats of training that has ever been exhibited. It was 
simply and purely the result of a delicate feat of training. 
There is no difficulty at all in training the horse to obey and 
be guided by the motions of the whip, but the nice point and 
real difficulty was making the horse so reliable and safe in his 
obedience that, no matter what the strain of excitement or 
difficulty, he could be guided or controlled at will as required, 
so that, no matter what the speed, driving him to any point, 
you may be confident, should any emergency arise, of being 
able to stop him instantly. To have it interesting, it was 
necessary that the horse should be energetic and spirited, 
and of the highest courage and intelligence. Perhaps no 
horse tamed in this way gave a finer expression of this feat 
than my old horse Turco. He was, like Tommy, in his way, 
practically perfect. To show something of this, he could be 
taken out with reins, pulling on the bit, with such energy and 
courage that it would seem as if with the least mishap he 
would run away. Then, throwing the reins loose, and with 
bit out of his mouth, he could be put at full speed through 
the town, by the guidance and control of the whip alone. 



CHAPTER XVI. 




RAREY: INSIDE FACTS IN RELATION TO HIM.* 

THERE is no part of this work 
that has cost me more anxiety 
and effort to obtain the information 
it embodies, and place it in the 
form here given, than this; and 
there is none of more significance or importance to the real 
student, for the reason that without it there would neces- 
sarily be more or less cloud and doubt regarding the true 
principles and conditions of subjection or the art of taming 
horses. In addition, it will be found specially important as 
a means of correcting history. It was a continued effort of 
nearly fifteen years to accomplish this as here given. 

As noted in the first chapter, I refer briefly to the parties 
most prominent as professed horse-tamers before my time, 
which it is presumed have been carefully read. In continu- 
ing the subject here, in reference to John S. Rarey, I think 
it advisable to again refer to some of the parties mentioned 
there, as well as the treatment used by them. It has long 
been known that disabling any part of the body will make a 
horse to some degree helpless and submissive; hence, it has 
been quite a secret among many, in making a horse stand to 
be shod, to tie down one ear or cover the eyes so that he can- 
not see. No matter how impulsive and reckless a headstrong 
horse may be to lead, if blindfolded, he will at once lead gently. 
In the chapter on the management of stallions, I refer to the 
feat I advertised to perform daily, of making any headstrong, 
unmanageable horse of this character, — one that could not 

* I quote this chapter from my regular work. 
[i88] 



CONTROL BY DISABLING. 189 

be held or controlled in the street, — by a few minutes' treat- 
ment, so that he would follow any one gently. 

The question would be asked, " How can I get the horse 
to follow?" My reply would be, "Cover his head with a 
blanket, and he will follow you without the least trouble." A 
horse that may balk quite seriously, if simply blindfolded, 
will usually go right along, more especially if first allowed 
to stand a little while, and then move him right and left 
a little, the better to divert his attention before asking him 
to start. This will in part explain why a horse that may 
not drive with safety during the day, will, under cover of a 
dark night, when unable to see, usually drive all right. It 
has been a great secret among some jockeys, to drive a 
kicker, to tie the tail down to the cross-piece of the shafts, 
or with a small string tie it forward to the bellyband, having 
learned that if the tail was so disabled that it could not be 
raised, the horse would rarely kick. 

Carrying this principle farther, it will be noted by turn- 
ing to introductory pages, before referred to, that it was re- 
garded a great secret for taming horses, and practically the 
limit of what was known on the subject before my time, to 
tie up one or both fore-legs and lay the horse down. Who 
discovered or first introduced this method of treatment is not 
known. It is certain that it was known and practiced in this 
country, and more especially among circus men, for more 
than a hundred years before the time of Rarey and the other 
parties referred to. 

As before stated, the first man known to me personally, 
who taught this method of treatment in this country, was 
O. H. P. Fancher, who, up to 1867, made his home in the 
country village of New London, O., and later at Brushes 
Mills, New York. More than thirty years ago (now 1895) 
Mr. Fancher exhibited to me certificates under date of 1844. 
signed by Daniel Webster, Henry Clay, and other men of na- 
tional repute, in recognition of his disabling a horse in this 
way so as to lay him down, which was practically all that 



190 



MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 



was claimed for it at this time, and long afterward, as shown 
by pages from Offutt's book.* It was certainly known to me 
that he traveled afterward quite extensively over the country, 
teaching the secret at large prices, as I have had a great 
many parties who had attended my lectures tell me of paying 
him from ten to fifty dollars, and in some instances much 
more, for this secret, including that of the Arabian secrets. 




Fig. 113.— The leg strapped up. 

or scents. He assumed to have obtained the secret in Mexico, 
of Comanche Indians. This method of treatment was not 
adapted to the mustang nature, and it is clear to me that he 
obtained the secret from the same source as did Denton 
Off&tt, or from him directly, which is more probable. 

The next in this country to whom I have been able to 
authoritatively trace this method of treatment, was Denton 
Offutt, of Georgetown, Ky. , before referred to. It is inter- 
esting to know that this was the man who kept a store at 

* This part is necessarily excluded here. 



RA KEY'S BEGINNING. 



191 



New Salem, Sangamon county, 111., in 1831 and '32, and for 
whom Abraham Lincoln (afterward president of the United 
States) clerked. Failing in trade, he left that place, and I 
next located him in Georgetown, Ky. , where he attracted 
some attention as possessing the secret of horse-taming, and 
where John S. Rarey obtained the secret from him, the facts 
of which are given farther on.* 

We now come to the facts in relation to John S. Rarey, 
about whose efforts there has been and is yet more miscon- 
ception than concerning any man who has ever traveled; and 
for this reason it is essential for the general reader that I 
should be very definite. 




Fig. 114. — Strap No. i. 

Rarey was the son of a country hotel-keeper in a little 
borough called Groveport, about ten miles south of Colum- 
bus, O. He was a man of but limited education, and before 
leaving his home was in no way identified with the study of 
the horse beyond that of any ordinary country boy. When a 
young man, while traveling with a circus, he visited George- 
town, Ky., where he obtained the secret, as explained, of 
Denton Offutt. 

Soon afterward (1858), he was suddenly brought to no- 
tice by the following facts: First, his being permitted to 
give an exhibition before the Queen and royal family of Eng- 
land; second, his claims of being possessor of important 
secrets of his own discovery, by which he assumed to have 
the power to subdue any horse or animal in the world. This 

*This Offutt is variously, though not differently described (see 
Lamson's " Li£e of Lincoln") as a " wild, harum-scarum, reckless fel- 
low;" a "gusty, windy, brain-rattling man;" a "noisy, fussy, rattle- 
brained man, wild and improvident." 



193 



MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 



he apparently proved by his control of the stallion Cruiser, a 
horse claimed to be so dangerously vicious that to prevent 
his killing any one he was kept in a brick building, with the 
extra precaution of having an iron muzzle on him, it being 
the intention to have him shot. Next, by his control of a 
horse in France that had killed a man, and in England of a 
zebra from the Zoological Gardens of London. The result was 




Fig. I IS-— The horse -with straps Nos. i and 2. 

that he obtained two thousand subscribers from among the 
nobility, at $50 each, to learn the secret, and thus at one 
movement, with his partner, Mr. R. A. Goodenough, made 
^100,000. 

When, however, the great secret was revealed, it was 
found to comprise simply the point of disabling the fore-legs 
and laying the horse down, as before explained. The treat- 
ment was the same for all classes of horses, of whatever age 
or habit; and it was soon found that it came far short of 
meeting the extravagant claims made for it. 



A CLEVER PARTNER. 193 

Every point, however, was so skillfully covered up that 
it was difficult for anyone to explain the real cause of weak- 
ness. For over against every point of seeming weakness and 
valid objection was the apparent proof of the control of the 
cases referred to, which were recognized as of the most vicious 
character possible, and which, in connection with the bold- 
ness of his claims and the distinction conferred upon him, 
seemed to make his position practically impregnable. 

DOUBTS OF ENGLISH WRITERS. 

There was, however, a strong undercurrent of suspicion 
among leading English writers at the time in relation to 




Fig. lib.— Strap No. 2. 

the subject, to explain something of which I quote a few par- 
agraphs: — 

"The clever management of his partner, Mr. Goode- 
nough, and the profound secrecy maintained for so long, car- 
ried the public away, and, as in the fable of the fox who had 
lost his tail, all those who had spent their ten guineas were 
anxious to place their friends in the same predicament. This 
is the only way in which I can account for the extraordinary 
conclusion to which so many practical horsemen arrived in 
relation to it. 

"The cardinal points of Mr. Rarey's system are, first, 
never to let the horse know his strength; that the horse must 
never be coerced or resisted unless a man is certain of suc- 
cess in controlling him; second, that when his muscles are 
tired out, he is relieved from restraint and treated gently and 
patiently so as to make him a friend. Then, after showing 
that this could not be carried out in practice by the treatment 
given, he refers to special cases, as follows: In referring to a 

13 



194 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

particular horse treated by Mr. Rarey, that had resisted vio- 
lently for about half an hour, he saj's: 'The horse, now 
nearly covered with foam and very much exhausted, fell over 
on his side with a heavy groan and lay stretched upon the 
straw; ' . . . . and finally remarked, it was so evident that 
he was exhausted rather than subjugated, that Mr. Rarey 
informed the audience that several more lessons would be 
required to make him submissive and gentle." 

In commenting upon the treatment, another writer 
said: — 

" There are numerous instances which have come to my 
knowledge, of horses resuming their vicious habits again;" 
and referring to Cruiser, "that though the operation had 
been repeated upon him hundreds of times, the evidence was 
all the otlier way; that if put in the witness box he would tell 
that he had several times turned against his groom and put his 
life in danger; .... that he knew of no instance of a horse 
which had gone through the operation, doing any good sub- 
sequently on the turf, all having shown afterward either want 
of speed or heart; that whatever had been the cause of this, 
they had run behind those animals whose forms were consid- 
ered by good judges to have been inferior to theirs." 

HOW I WAS LED TO DOUBT HIM. 

Like others, I was at first a great admirer of Rarey, and 
my confidence in him was so great that I was led to perse- 
veringly try the treatment upon all sorts of horses, and study 
with closest attention the effects it would produce upon 
horses of different temperaments and habits, with the final 
result of most serious disappointment, and doubt as to the 
truth of his claims. While I found it would permit of con- 
siderable success in the control of some horses, it would 
utterly fail upon others, and it became, in fact, so much of a 
puzzle to me that it was the cause of the loss of much valu- 
able time. I finall}' was forced to the conclusion, as the only 
explanation, that there was either some secret about the 
treatment that I did not understand, or that there was the 
grossest misrepresentation and deception in relation to it. 



DOUBTS AS TO RAREY. 



195 



It certainly seemed to me there were several points that 
would not bear anything like close investigation. First, if 
this treatment enabled Mr. Rarey to perform the feats claimed 
in Europe, why would it not, upon thorough trial by himself and 
others, produce the same results here upon horses only mod- 
erately vicious ? Second, 
Cruiser and the other cases 
referred to, out of his hands 
became again unmanage- 
able. How was it that he 
could control such horses, 
while others, using the 
same treatment, utterly 
failed upon them ? These 
were questions which puz- 
zled and misled the public, 
making them believe, as 
the only reasonable expla- 
nation, that he had some 
magnetic or ps3^chological 
power over horses that 
others did not possess, and 
by which he was enabled 
to control them as he 
wished; or that he gave 
them drugs, or something 
that gave him power to 
control them for the time. 

Another point, and the one Fig. in— The bridle used to -prevent biting. 

I felt to be the most suspicious, was that before going to 

Europe he made no special reputation as a horse-tamer,* 

* During my early professional career, I traveled over much country 
that had been visited by Rarey previous to his going to Europe, espe- 
cially in Southern Pennsylvania, and frequently heard of him. All the 
statements concerning him substantially agreed, in the fact that he trav- 
eled alone on foot from town to town, carrying a satchel and meeting 
with but very indifferent success. His charges were is3.oo, and he was 
ready to teach one or more at a time, as he had opportunity, at this rate. 




196 



MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 



and after dissolving partnership with Mr. Goodenough in 
England, or after his return to this country, he made 
no special stir, nor did he make the improvements (having 
made none whatever) to be reasonably expected from a man 
capable of the resources and skill necessary to attain the suc- 
cess with which he had been credited. He simply repeated 




Fig-. iiS. — The horse struggling. 

the same method of treatment, depending entirely upon the 
prestige of his European reputation for enlisting attention 
here. 

The whole thing so annoyed me that I was bound, if pos- 
sible, to go to the bottom of it. To do this, I had a great 
desire, first to see Mr. Rarey himself explain and illustrate 
the treatment, and upon having an opportunity to do so 
in the spring of ' 65, at Pittsburg, Pa., where I had given ex- 
hibitions the week before, I took advantage of it to do so. I 
found his explanation and application of treatment to be pre- 



RAREY— INSIDE FACTS. 



197 



cisely what I had long been familiar with and practiced. 
There was no variation whatever. He went through the same 
routine of exhibiting two straps by which he claimed to have 
accomplished so much. Putting it mildly, I was not only 
greatly disappointed but disgusted." 

I next desired to see Cruiser, and study the peculiarities 
of his disposition, and at my earliest opportunity afterward, 
went to Groveport, O., especially for the purpose. I found 
him a medium sized, 
well-bred horse, 
weighing about i,ooo 
pounds. His head 
was well propor- 
tioned, wide and full 
between the eyes, 
which though not 
large were well set 
out on the head. The 
eyelids were thin and 
the distance from eye 
to ear noticeably 

short. The ears were Fig. uq— Cruiser's head. 

exceedingly fine, short and set close, together and pointed, in- 
dicating, like the other parts, great sensibility and courage, 
as well as great capacity for prolonged resistance; and while 
not by any means exhibiting the bad character represented, 
such a horse I knew could not be made gentle by the treat- 




* I had another, and if anything a more serious reason for trying to 
get to the bottom of the matter. It was a constant source of embarrass- 
ment to me to be asked daily and almost hourly if my system of treat- 
ment was anything like Rarey's; that he claimed to be able to subdue 
any horse or animal in the world, etc., etc.; and as I made no such pre- 
tensions it was naturally inferred that I could not do as much as he. In 
reply, I usually stated that all this I would satisfactorily explain in my 
class instructions: that nearly all those attending my lectures under- 
stood all that treatment and much more; and that unless my treatment 
was different and superior I could not travel a single day with success. 
The subject was forced upon me so repeatedly and persistently that it 
was imperative that I should uncover it if I could. 



198 



MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 



ment claimed to have been practiced upon him. (I give a 
sketch of his head drawn by a noted artist, by my direction, 
from memory. Fig. 119.) 

I took into more special consideration the character of 
the Stafford horse in France, upon which I knew from his 
temperament that such treatment would have little real effect, 
and when I considered more particularly that of the zebra, 
which I knew could not be controlled by such treatment, I 




Fig. 120. — Tlie horse exhausted {the origtjial term used). He was struggled 

with on the knees until tired or exhausted, when he 

was brought down on the side. 

became convinced that the real point of their control, which 
was only temporary, had for good reasons been kept covered 
up. I next directed my attention to learn what foundation, 
if any, there was for his claims of having experimented upon 
horses from youth up, and having so many accidents in do- 
ing so, etc., so when traveling in that part of Ohio after- 
ward, I made the most careful inquiry of old residents of 
Groveport, his former home, and those of the neighboring 
towns, in relation to him, but could not learn that during his 
minority he had been in any way identified with the subject, 



MEETING WITH MR. GOODENOUGH. 199 

or recognized as possessing any special aptitude in that direc- 
tion, or that he had any serious accidents; showing me con- 
clusively that at least these claims were not true. 

For years I also had been making the most persistent 
efforts to find Mr. Goodenough, the man who had been his 
partner in England, and whom I had been long convinced 
was the real master spirit of his success and efforts, but 
could not learn whether he was in the countr}^ or even living. 
This, however, I was in a chance way finally able to accom- 
plish, and that when least expecting it, under the following 
circumstances: — 

As explained on page 73, in the winter of 1871 and '72, 
I gave a series of test exhibitions before leading gentlemen 
in New York City, to which this gentleman (Mr. Goode- 
nough) was incidentally invited by a friend. A few minutes 
before commencing the exhibition he was introduced to me. 
The moment I saw him, it was at once plain to me that he 
was the real key of the whole matter. He was a man nearly 
six feet tall, finely proportioned, of a strong, vigorous, ag- 
gressive nature, in fact just the man to engineer and make a 
success of such an enterprise. I immediately said to him 
that he was the man of all others I wished to see; that for 
more than ten years I had been in vain looking for him, and 
that I would like a few minutes' private conversation with 
him. This he kindly granted, when I said: "There is one 
question I wish to ask which you alone can answer. You 
were with Mr. Rarey when he controlled Cruiser, and I would 
like to know just how he accomplished it, as I am sure he 
never did it by the treatment he professed to have practiced 
upon him." 

Mr. G. replied, " How do you know he did not? " 

I said, "I have studied Cruiser, and experimented with 
the treatment in the most careful manner upon all classes of 
horses showing different types of temperament and resist- 
ance, and know exactly what it will do; and I know it will 
not work, as claimed, upon such a horse; and when I con- 



200 



MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 



sider more particularly the control of the other cases, upon 
the management of which he based his reputation, I know 
that it could not have been done by that treatment, and 
I would like to know just what you did to control him. 
I know how such cases could be controlled temporarily in a 
number of ways which would not be at all difficult, and which 
was all that was done." I reminded him at the same time 




Fig. 121. — The horse tamed . 

that it would make no difference now about the facts being 
known, Mr. Rarey being dead. 

-^ Mr. Goodenough laughed, and said: " You are right; he 
was not controlled by that treatment. We tried it thoroughly 
upon him, and failed. I then advised Rarey to tie him down! 
We did so, and let him lie all night and the night following, 
when we could handle him as we pleased. This was the only 
alternative that suggested itself in the emergency, and we 
employed it." 

After the matter had been prepared for the chapter ex- 
plaining these facts in my first general work, from the revised 



MR. BONNER'S ADVICE. 201 

edition of which, now entitled "Facts for Horse Owners," 
the matter as stated before, in this chapter, has been con- 
densed, I had a conversation with Mr. Robert Bonner, of 
New York City, and I referred to the discovery I had made 
in relation to this subject, and stated further that I proposed 
publishing it in my book. Mr. Bonner at once asked, "Is 
Mr. Goodenough living? " 

I stated that I did not know, when he at once cautioned 
me in positive terms that it would not do to publish such a 
statement unless Mr. Goodenough was living. 

During this interview I also stated to Mr. Bonner, that 
while I was almost sure that Mr. Rarey obtained his secret of 
Denton Offutt, I could not give positive proof of it. Among 
other reasons for my thinking so, was that upon Rarey' s re- 
turn from Europe he was prosecuted by Offutt for revealing 
the secret, Offutt claiming large damages. 

Mr. Bonner replied, "You will find the facts concerning 
Rarey's being taught by Offutt in the issue of Tuj-f, Field and 
Fai'm, of Jan. 4, 1878," and to prove it, he at once sent to the 
office of that paper for the files containing the issue in ques- 
tion, and read the article. 

He informed me also that Mr. Offutt's original work was 
published in the same paper. This being a matter of great 
interest to me, I immediately called at the office of that paper, 
and requested the privilege of examining the files containing 
the issues in which it was published. This was kindly 
granted, and I read it through with great care. It struck me 
that the dialogue between man and horse, and the recipes 
for scents or drugs given for approaching and controlling 
wild or vicious horses, would be of so much interest to my 
readers, as to be worth preserving, and so I determined to 
obtain it, if I could, for publication. My request was 
granted, and I give the matter in my regular work. 

I immediately obtained an interview with the chief ed- 
itor, Mr. Hamilton Busbey, who is yet living, during which 
he gave me the following facts in relation to Mr. Richards' 



202 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

statement regarding Denton Offutt and his instruction of 
Rarey: — 

In October, 1877, he (Mr. Busbey) was dining with Mr. 
Keene Richards,* at Blue Grass Park, when the subject of 
horse-taming came up. Mr. Richards stated that the founder 
of the horse-taming school was a native of Georgetown, K}^, 
and that his name was Denton Offutt. Mr. Richards himself 
was a pupil of Offutt, whom he described as uneducated, but 
full of originality; that when quite a young man, John S. 
Rarey came to Georgetown and studied with Offutt, and later 
on practiced the system in Ohio, before going to England 
with Mr. Goodenough. 

After dinner, the conversation was continued in the li- 
brar}', when Mr. Richards handed Mr. Busbey a book which 
Offutt had published for the benefit of his pupils, all of whom 
he pledged to secrecy. 

Mr. Busbey was very much interested in the book, and 
carried it with him to New York. One day he let Mr. Rob- 
ert Bonner take it to examine, and the next morning he re- 
ceived the following note from that gentleman: — 

" There are many interesting things in Offutt's book, 
some that are entirely new to me, and well worth copying. 
The dialogue between man and horse, beginning on page 37 
and ending on page 46, contains the essence of all that Rarey 
ever taught. He evidently based his system on that." This 
part, as before stated, I publish entire in my regular work. 

Mr. Busbey, beginning with January, 1878, published 
the work of Denton Offutt in the Turf, Field and Farm, and 
it attracted at the time, much attention. 

In consequence of the injunction of Mr. Bonner, that it 
would not do to publish the facts stated unless Mr. Goode- 
nough was living, and not having any clue to him beyond 
having met him in the city years before, it was a matter of 
great difficulty to find him, and it was only after a long and 



* Keene Richards, Esq., a leading dealer and turf patron of Ken- 
tucky, died March 19, 1881. 



EXACT FACTS. 203 

diligent search that I was by the merest chance finally able 
to do so. I found him still in vigorous health, at the age of 
seventy-two. He received me kindly, but upon stating the 
object of my visit, he manifested a decided reluctance to say 
anything about the matter; and I succeeded only after ur- 
gently explaining to him that it was necessary, not only to 
the present but to future generations, that the exact facts 
should be authoritatively made known, as a means of cor- 
recting the false impressions made by Rarey's pretensions, as 
well as of correcting history; that it was a matter of no spe- 
cial consideration to me beyond wishing to make my work in 
every respect as reliable in its instructions as possible, and 
that the time had come, when as a matter of truth and right, 
the facts should be given. I called attention also to the fact 
that the real credit and success of the scheme belonged to 
him, and that he should not object to relating the truth. 
Finally, with the promise that whatever I should write upon 
the subject would not be published until first submitted to 
his inspection, he consented, and after nearly two hours' 
pleasant conversation, during which time he gave me many 
interesting incidents in connection with his efforts in Eng- 
land, he gave me the following facts, which I wrote down 
from his dictation.* 

EXACT FACTS. 

First, becoming interested in Rarey's mode of treatment, 
and desiring to go to England for his own pleasure, and more 
as a means of recreation than of profit, he proposed taking 
Rarey to England for the purpose of teaching the system, 
and if successful, to divide the profits equally. Should the 
enterprise not pay, he was to return Rarey to this country at 
his own expense. As a preparatory step, Mr. Goodenough 
had exhibitions given before the chief officers of the govern- 

* During this interview, also, I was fortunately put in the way of 
authenticating the facts in relation to Rarey being taught the secret by 
Denton Offutt, of Georgetown, Ky., the particulars of which are given 
elsewhere. 



204 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

ment of Canada, which were highly satisfactory. He then 
obtained letters of introduction from the Governor General of 
Canada to Sir Charles York of the Horse Guards of London, 
also to Sir Richard Airy, Quartermaster General, to whom he 
explained what he wanted; and by them he was introduced to 
Col. Hood, Prince Albert's Chief Equerry, who had charge 
of the Queen's farm at Windsor, and Lord Alfred Paget, the 
Queen's First Equerry, who were made confidants, and to 
whom the system was previously explained. By them he 
was introduced to the Queen and royal family, before whom 
he performed upon a four-year-old colt* from the Queen's 
farm, and also upon other horses. These gentlemen permit- 
ted their names to be used in the London Times as reference 
for the faithful performance of what was promised. 

Books were now opened at Tattersall's for subscriptions 
to learn the system, and two thousand names, comprising the 
nobility of England, were obtained, at ten guineas each. The 
first lesson was given at the Duke of Wellington's private 
riding school, upon Cruiser. 

FACTS IN RELATION TO CRUISER. 

The facts in relation to Cruiser and his subjection were 

as follows: He was owned by Lord Dorchester, and had been 

vicious from a colt. He was kept for breeding purposes at 

Morrel Green, forty-one miles from London, in a building 

* An amusing incident in relation to the treatment of this colt, not 
before known, is as follows: It was desired to have the colt so trained 
that he could easily be made to lie down before the Queen. He was 
brought in the night before, and Rarey experimented upon him during 
the evening, the building being strongly lighted to do so. At this point, 
the Equerry, a high officer — a Scotchman, who had special charge of the 
department, came up, and finding Mr. Goodenough at the door on guard, 
asked him what business he had there, what it all meant, stating his 
position, etc., and that he wanted the proceedings at once stopped, and 
seeking to enter. Mr. Goodenough looked at him and replied by saying 
" I don't know you, sir. You must give me credentials of who you are 
before I can admit you." The audacity of the assumption so confused 
and annoyed him, and being apparently unable to prove it, he was actu- 
ally kept out. Mr. Goodenough told the incident to Sir Albert Paget, 
who belonged to the Queen's househould; and who next morning told 
it to the Queen, as a good joke upon the Equerry, and it was heartily 
laughed at by her Majesty. 



FACTS REGARDING CRUISER. 



205 



erected especially for him. He had on a simple watering 
bridle, to which were attached two chains, each about twelve 
inches long, having buckles on the ends. The door of his 
stable was cut in two, and when they intended to lead him 
out for use, they opened the lower half and put in a bucket 
of water for him to drink. When he put his nose into the 
bucket to drink, they would quickly buckle two straps to 
these chains, each twenty feet long, when he could easily be 
led out between two men. 




Fig. 132. — 77^1? second lesson in harness. \_MctJiod of driving horse after treatment .\ 

I asked Mr. Goodenough, "What about the big iron 
muzzle which it was claimed Cruiser had worn?" 

He laughed, and said, " That was all advertising decep- 
tion. I had nothing to do with that. There was no muzzle 
at all on him." 

He leased the horse for six months by the payment of 
_;2{^ioo, stipulating that he should break the horse, and return 
him in good order. Should he fail, he was to pay ^500, 
which he subsequently paid Lord Dorchester, and brought 
the horse to America. 

HOW CRUISER WAS SUBDUED. 

Not wishing to follow the plan of the grooms in taking 
him from the stable, they devised the following one, and 
nearly failed. They backed a cart up near the door, and tried 
by various means to attach the straps to the bridle; but after 
an hour's effort, failed. Finally, while Mr. Goodenough stood 
in the cart and attracted the attention of the horse as he 



206 



MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 



stood' near the door, Rarey succeeded in slipping the strap 
over the leg and arm. Once on three legs, he was speedily 
brought under control by throwing. He was now led into 
the yard on three legs, and Lord Dorchester mounted him. 
They now repeated the treatment out of doors. The horse fi- 
nally became greatly excited, and resisted with the utmost fury. 




Fig-. 123. — Mr. R. A. Goodenoiigh at the age of 72. 

At this point, when failure was inevitable, Mr. Goode- 
nough suggested the only means of success available, that 
of tying down, and letting him remain until exhausted and 
submissive. He was accordingly led into the stable again, 
his fore-legs tied up, and he was thrown down, a collar put 
on, and his hind legs tied forward to it. In this condition 
he was left until the next morning, when they gave him wa- 
ter while down; but behaving gentle, he was released. They 
now fed and groomed him carefully, and led him behind a 



SUBJECTION OF CRUISER. 307 

dog-cart to London, forty-one miles. To make sure, that 
night they tied him down again, when afterward he could be 
managed without difficulty. After this, Rarey handled and 
trained him every day for two weeks, when he had him under 
such good control that he could stand in the ring, and by 
calling, the horse would come out of his stall to him. 

The Stafford horse was the worst one they handled. It 
was only after being subjected to treatment in the most thor- 
ough and persevering manner, and being tied down ten 
nights in succession, that they were able to handle him with 
any degree of safety. The zebra was tied down fifteen 
nights. Of course all this was kept a profound secret. In 
all critical cases, they invariably handled the horse in pri- 
vate, until successful. Cruiser and the other horses were 
handled almost daily for two weeks, to insure their reliable 
management when in public. 

Another fact was not known; namely, that the entire 
subjection of the zebra, and almost the entire work of sub- 
duing the Stafford horse, was done by Mr. Goodenough. At 
the conclusion of the interview, I asked, "Who wrote the 
little work explaining the principles upon which it was as- 
sumed the system was founded? " His answer was, — "Oh, 
I fixed that up." 

The foregoing has been submitted to me for revision and 
correction, and I find it a simple statement of facts. 



New York, 




June 2, i88r. * ^^1 / ^—~^~~~-~^/] '^ 



It struck me as of great interest, in connection with his 
statement, to give a portrait of Mr. Goodenough, and I re- 
quested his permission to do so. This he at first declined to 
permit, in positive terms, but finally, after much persuasion, 



308 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

and as a matter of personal favor, it was granted and is here 
given. 

The weakness of this method of treatment can be seen 
by the fact that it was Hmited to one short, indirect step of 
overcoming physical resistance — that of laying the horse 
down. It being the only resource, it was necessarily the 




Fig. 12^. — Tatning the Zebra. 

same treatment for all classes of horses, from the green colt 
that had never been handled to the old horse of the most 
vicious character, all being necessarily treated alike. It was 
the same as assuming to cure all manner of diseases with one 
simple remedy. It would, of course, be easy to disable and 
lay a horse down in this way, but the difficulty would be to 
make sufficient impression upon him to make and hold him 
gentle. 



CHAPTER XVII. 




THE ART OR SECRET OF TAMING HORSES— IMPORTANCE OF THE SUB- 
JECT—INTERESTING FACTS, ETC. 



ALTHOUGH in part going outside 
the limits of what I felt to be 
admissible in this little work, the in- 
terest that must necessarily attach 
to any explanation of the secrets of 
controlling horses, induces me to 
insert such additional features as I believe would in a gen- 
eral way do this best. 

First, as to the facts of changing the character of horses. 
Let us, for example, presume to take a horse of so nervous 
and excitable a character that we cannot with safety ap- 
proach him near enough to put our hands on him — one 
that it certainly would seem impossible to do anything 
with in harness; we will say a wild, unbroken colt, or a horse 
that had been frightened, kicked and ran away, and become 
so vicious and dangerous as not to admit of being put in 
harness at all. If I were to now say, Give me fifteen, twenty 
or thirty minutes' time to myself, and let us see what we can 
do with this case; and if in this time I were to show him, 
without being in the least injured or excited, entirely gentle 
and submissive, really indifferent to the causes which so 
short a time before produced such serious disturbance and 
excitement, it would certainly seem but little short of a 
miracle, and a very startling fact. The question would nat- 
urally be, as expressed to me almost daily, How could it be 
possible by any natural or reasonable means, to produce such 
a remarkable change, and especially in a way to have it re- 
main so? As the most reasonable explanation of it, the 
14 [209] 



210 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

attention would naturally be directed to myself. Was it not 
something in me? Did I not possess some superior powers? 
And if so, where and what was the secret? Viewed in this 
light, it would certainly seem most puzzling, but when ex- 
plained, the great wonder would be the common-sense sim- 
plicity and success of the treatment by which accomplished. 

If I were to ask a man, one even recognized as among 
the very first in intelligence and scientific attainments in the 
country, "What should the treatment be to bring about such 
a great change — to do it, say within thirty or forty minutes, 
or even an hour — he would find himself at once blocked. If 
he were to turn to his library, or even ransack the libraries 
of the world, he would be surprised to discover that he would 
be unable to find a single work or other authority, outside of 
what is given or published by me, from which he could obtain 
this knowledge, because not known before my time. 

When I gave the test experiments in New York City, 
referred to on page 73; I had before me over a hundred of 
probably the best representative students of the horse in this 
country, if not in the world, comprising the best representa 
five trainers, thinkers and writers in this country, among 
whom I may mention the distinguished Robert Bonner. 

By way of introduction I said I felt embarrassed in pre- 
suming to be able to give any new ideas to such a distin- 
guished company of gentlemen, who were presumed to know 
everything that had been taught and practiced on the subject; 
that I was aware they were familiar with the treatment prac- 
ticed by Rarey, and others who made any pretension to 
knowledge or skill in this line, and that it would seem but 
reasonable to them that there could be nothing new for them 
to learn in relation to it. And yet I would show them en- 
tirely new and original principles of treatment that would pro- 
duce results entirely impossible by any other methods of treat- 
ment, and practically revolutionize their ideas on the subject. 

Said I: "Suppose, for example, we were to have led in 
here an unbroken colt, one of so wild and nervous a character 



TEST (2UESTI0NS. 211 

as to be really dangerous to go near or touch, and I were 
to ask you, What should the treatment be, so that within 
twenty, thirty or forty minutes, or even within an hour, you 
could make him so gentle and submissive that you could, if 
you pleased, put him in harness, hitch him to the wagon, and 
so far as docility was concerned, he would be as gentle and 
fearless as any old family horse ? How you can do it with 
every case in a hundred within this average time? You could 
not tell me, because there is not one here, or in the city, or 
in the world, outside of those attending my classes, who can 
do it, there being no other way yet discovered by which it 
can be done. Now, I will forfeit $500 to any man here who 
will produce a colt of this character that I cannot do this 
with, here before you, within forty minutes. 

"Next, if we were to have led in a kicking, runaway 
horse, of so vicious a character that he could not with 
safety be handled or put in harness, and I were to ask you, 
What would your treatment be, so that within thirty or forty 
minutes, or even an hour, you could make him so manageable 
that you could with safety hitch him up and drive him sub- 
missive and gentle, without breeching, with other tests of the 
severest character without resistance ? You could not tell 
me, because there is no way known to you or anybody else by 
which it can be done, outside of the treatment I will show 
you. 

" Now I will give $500 to any man that can produce a 
horse of this character that I cannot control and drive gently 
here before you within forty minutes." Following which I 
enumerated a number of other equally startling feats that I 
stood ready to perform, which they knew would be entirely 
impossible to do by any other treatment known. Among 
which I mentioned the interesting feat of the control of stal- 
lions, referred to on page 64, and of halter-pullers, page 
125. 

Now after the trial was given, these gentlemen were so 
fully convinced of the truth of my statements that the com- 



212 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

mittee by unanimous vote instructed their secretary, in writ- 
ting up his report, to say just what I wanted, to which all the 
gentlemen present united in the request that their names be 
added, as in the fullest sense endorsing the report. I may 
state, however, that not wishing to take any undue advantage 
of such freedom, I simply directed the gentleman to give a 
simple statement of facts, which is given on page 75. 

INPORTANCE OF THE SUBJECT. 

These facts are specially significant for the following grave 
reasons: No one can reasonably deny that we are more largely 
dependent upon the use of horses than all other animals 
together, and particularly in positions involving much risk to 
life; every member of the family being almost constantly de- 
pendent for their safety and lives upon the reliability and 
good character of their horses; that, outside of the anxiety 
and loss of property there are perhaps more serious and fatal 
accidents occurring from the use of horses that are unsafe or 
improperly broken than from all other causes by public or 
private conveyance combined to which they are exposed, and 
this without apparent remedy. In every town, city, and vil- 
lage of the country, accidents of this character are daily and 
often of hourly occurrence, which, when considered in the 
aggregate might well be regarded as appalling. And when it 
is considered that nearly all this trouble and loss, by proper 
measures of treatment, as demonstrated by me (not at all 
difficult for any one to use), would be entirely preventable, 
something of the value and importance of this knowledge can 
be seen. 

Not only this, but we see that by the treatment in general 
use, it is the work of months, and frequently of years, to break 
horses in this crude, imperfect way, and with this great ex- 
penditure of time and effort, many of the best horses by 
nature are practically ruined. 

How many horses of spirit do we find that do not have 
fastened upon them some one or more unpleasant or danger- 



SUGGESTIVE FACTS. 213 

ous habits that make them unsafe if not worthless for use ? 
Hence the importance of instruction by which we can not 
only prevent or overcome all this without abuse or accident, 
but save fully nineteen-twentieths of the time employed in 
such work, and do it better than it would be possible to do 
by any other treatment known. 

SUGGESTIVE FACTS. 

I was once present when a team of four horses was har- 
nessed for the first time to a band wagon. Though well 
broken to harness and entirely gentle, with the first notes of 
the band, which was entirely new to them, the horses were 
excited to such intense fear that it was only by the greatest 
effort they were kept from running away, though the band 
stopped pla}ang instantly. Aware of the great danger of a 
serious accident, and the necessity for prompt and proper 
measures of treatment, I said to the men, "If you will be 
guided by me I will soon fix the horses so that you can play 
as you please." The men being really anxious for their 
safety, they readily consented. 

As the first step, I directed them to get out and go back 
about ten or fifteen rods. In the meatime, I took the most 
excitable horse by the bridle, stroked his nose, talked to him 
quietly, and directed the others to be treated in like manner. 
They were greatly excited, the one I held fairly shaking with 
fear. After a few minutes I directed the band to commence 
very lightly upon one or two instruments at first, the others 
to start in gradually. This slight commencement was re- 
peated several times before the horses would bear more with- 
out exhibiting the most intense fear. I then directed them 
to play louder, and increase the tone gradually until up to 
the full force of all the instruments and drums. This point 
gained, while playing they came forward very slowly, got in, 
and commenced again in the lightest possible manner, gradu- 
ally increasing the sound until the horses again submitted to 
their playing with full force. I now directed the men to keep 



214 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

quiet while the team was driven a short distance, then, as be- 
fore, commence lightly, slowly and gradually playing louder 
until the horses appeared indifferent to the noise. The re- 
sult was that within twenty minutes the band paraded the 
streets, playing as they pleased, the horses submissive and 
gentle, in fact, appearing to enjoy the music. 

Suppose we have a colt which we wish to drive in har- 
ness. He is, perhaps, so gentle that he submits to be har- 
nessed and hitched to wagon without difficulty. If he moves 
off gently he is supposed to be all right, and he may be 
driven for years successfully. Unexpectedly, some little de- 
rangement or accident occurs, in itself trifling, such as rais- 
ing, an umbrella behind him, catching the rein under the tail, 
the breeching strap breaking, or being buckled so long as to 
let the cross-piece of shafts strike the quarters. The result 
will be that he is frightened, and from an impulse of defense 
he kicks; the legs or quarters coming violently against the 
shafts or cross-piece, he is hurt and the fear and excitement 
relatively increased, with the consequence that he resists 
control and gets away, with the result of tearing the wagon 
and harness to pieces, perhaps, throwing the occupants out 
and seriously injuring if not killing one or more of them. 
But the harm does not stop here, for the horse is left so sen- 
sitive, if not violent, that if successful in being able to hitch 
him up at all, it is almost sure to result in an early repetition 
of the occurrence, completely spoiling the horse. 

This was the history of nearly all the more serious kick- 
ing, runaway horses brought me for treatment — cases that 
were in many instances so nervous and violent in their resist- 
ance that they could not with safety be brought near or put 
in shafts. It is easy to see that horses trained in this way 
are a constant menace of danger; that their use is about as 
risky as going through sparks of iire carrying bags of powder 
in the arms; that if there is escape from accident, it is a mat- 
ter of the merest good luck. Then these accidents always 



FEATS BY OTHERS. 215 

occur at vitally critical times, when safety is of the greatest 
importance. 

In the treatment of these cases something of the real 
beauty and value of scientific treatment is demonstrated. 
Now, as repeatedly stated in other pages, no matter how sen- 
sitive or vicious, at one movement, and frequently in a few 
minutes, with scarcely an exception, within the limits of an 
hour, the horse can be made so fearless and gentle that as soon 
as we are successful in driving him to the bit, he can be driven 
to carriage at any speed, without breeching, up or down hill, 
perfectly obedient to word of command, or to the lightest 
restraint of the reins. Nor is this at all difficult to do, even 
with horses that have been regarded exceptionally dangerous 
and vicious. 

To show something of this, I include here a few repre- 
sentative statements of what was accomplished by parties 
who have never seen me, but who obtained their instructions 
from my work on this subject: — 

"I have a heavy-boned California horse, that breaks 
every halter put on him. I have to tie him up with a chain. 
I cannot take such a horse into the field, for he will stampede 
the whole herd by breaking loose and running. This same 
horse is a vicious striker, and has already knocked down and 
walked all over one of my sergeants. He is of no use to the 
government, and I want to either break or kill him." 

After the horse had been subjected to treatment, the fol- 
lowing statement was made: — 

"Your system of breaking halter-pullers works like a 
charm. That wild California horse (after giving details of 
treatment which did not require more than two minutes) I 
could not get men enough around him to force him back the 
second time. From the stall I took him out to the picket 
line and tied him to a post. After pulling once we could not 
induce him to pull again. Any halter will hold him now. 
He was so easily managed that I concluded I had misjudged 
his disposition, and so took him in hand (giving particulars 



216 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

of treatment used), when he was saddled, and a man mounted 
and dismounted, and in fact he was broken to shoe, to ride, 
to stand still, and behave himself generally, in about twenty 
minutes. " Yours truly, 

"A. E. Wood, Capt. 4th Cavalry, 

"Fort Huachua, Arizona." 

"In twelve minutes, by the instrubtion in your book, I 
made a four-year-old kicking coit that had been given up by 
one man as entirely unmanageable before she came into my 
hands, so- gentle that I hitched her up and drove her in the 
public street, without breeching. A twelve-year-old bay 
mare that could not be shod without ox-slings or other con- 
finement, after treating her twice, was shod at the shop with- 
out trouble. "Ezra T. Webber, 

"North Vassalboro, Me." 

"Mrs. Hill has taken a broncho, green from the range, 
and by the instructions in your book, has a horse that will 
come into the house, eat bread from her hands, open the win- 
dows; in fact do lots of things showing his docility. Your 
system of treatment certainly entitles you to the biggest kind 
of a medal. "Edwin C. Hill, 

"White Sulphur Springs, Mont." 

"About two weeks since, I received from a brother in 
Connecticut a copy of your valuable work, and a more inter- 
esting and instructive book never before reached my hand. 
Believing that it will do your heart good, I will state that I 
have subdued some of the most vicious and dangerous horses 
ever known in this section of the country, in twenty minutes 
to one hour, by the application of your methods, etc. Perhaps 
I may seem to you a little over-enthusiastic, but I have just 
put the finishing touches on the worst brute of a beast that 
man ever attempted to lay hands on, and all of the efforts 
made to accomplish the result were of the neatest, easist, and 
safest kind. " B. C. Platt, V. S. 

" Reno, Nev." 

Any number of statements of this character could be 
given, showing the entire success and ease with which horses 
supposed to be of the very worst character may be made en- 
tirely safe and gentle, by persons of no experience, and with 



QUALIFICATIONS OF THE MAN. 217 

no practical knowledge of the subject before having access to 
my work. 

The great value of my treatment is in its preventing trou- 
ble, as stated, in making the young horse so gentle — which 
any one should be able to do within an hour or two — as to 
give security against such troubles. 

QUALIFICATIONS OF THE MAN. 

This is a study and work, though contrary to what is 
generally supposed, that to attain to anything like unusual 
success requires in the man not only a high order of ability, 
but a combination of really superior qualities. 

It is generally supposed that the larger and coarser the 
man, especially if he does not seem to be good for anything 
else, he has all the qualifications necessary for breaking 
horses. No mistake could be greater. We see, first, that it is 
necessary that a man have such precision of judgment that 
he is able to see and understand with accuracy the constantly 
varying conditions with which he has to deal. 

Second, that without revealing timidity or weakness, he 
will be able to go up to the line of danger, yet with such ac- 
curacy of judgment as not to go beyond it. A man in busi- 
ness or in the professions may be exceptionally successful, 
even though gravely deficient in personal courage or decision 
of character; while in dealing with horses which are at all 
courageous or intelligent, such a weakness would be practi- 
cally fatal to success.* 

Third, that he has the highest instincts of truthfulness 
and honesty, because, in word or action, to the least degree 
to lie to or deceive the horse would of itself, especiall}^ in 

* During my professional experience I was almost constantly 
brought in contact with horses that I knew studied and examined me 
searchingly, and as severely tried the tension of my nerves as it would 
be possible for any man to do, and I felt it to be as necessary to keep con- 
cealed my real apprehension of danger as if I had been contending 
with the most intelligent, courageous person; and frequently my safety 
really depended upon the observance of these conditions. Ihe incident 
given on page 83 was a good illustration in point. 



218 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

anything like critical cases, in a great measure be sufficient 
to neutralize if not destroy his success. He must have, in a 
word, the keenest discernment, the broadest and soundest 
judgment, the truest courage, the most persistent persever- 
ance and patience, with the highest instincts of benevolence 
and kindness. In other words, he must have the delicacy of 
touch of a woman, the highest order of judgment, the te- 
nacity and perseverance of a bull-dog, with the courage of a 
lion. Lacking in any of these, however valuable the princi- 
ples of treatment, his efforts can certainly be but little more 
than common-place. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



TEMPERAMENTS AND INTELLIGENCE, ETC. 




L' 



ET us now in a general way dis- 
cuss some points of this subject 

briefly.* * 

Suppose, for example, we have 

a dozen horses to treat, all exactly 
of the same size and general appearance. Upon trial, one 
will be found to submit to treatment in a few minutes, 
while another may require much more effort and care to 
bring him under the same degree of submission, while a third 
may require many times the work to produce a like result. 
This will naturally compel a more particular observance of 
the texture and details of bodily structure, and when we do 
so carefully we will find that they will to a remarkable degree 
correspond with the order of the resistance; that they are in 
all cases dependent upon the peculiarity of texture and con- 
formation of the brain. 

If we study primary conditions, we find that each peculi- 
arity of special power is governed by nerve ganglia, or cen- 
ters. For example, the senses of smelling, tasting, feeling, 
seeing, etc., will be strong and active in proportion to the 
development of the nerve ganglia from which these senses 
emanate. Thus a hound that follows a scent, or a bird dog 
that has the power of smelling game at a distance, has large 
development of the olfactory nerves; while the greyhound, 
eagle, etc., that depend for their success upon seeing at a 
distance, have large development of the optic nerves. 

* These points are very fully explained in the introductory chapter 
of my regular work, and as given here will be of more particular inter- 
est to my scholars. 

[219] 



220 



MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 



On the same principle, the size and texture of the brain 
becomes the real primal factor of determining the character. 
For example, the larger and finer the quality of the brain, the 
greater will be the degree of intelligence. In the human 
family we see that a man that has the back part of the brain 
so large as to overbalance the moral and intellectual faculties, 
is almost sure to be low and coarse; while the reverse, or 
preponderance of the intellectual faculties over the merely 

animal, will give excep- 
tional intelligence and dis- 
cretion. Thus men indi- 
vidually constantly illus- 
trate adaptability for 
special lines of effort or 
thought. The same lines 
are exemplified to a won- 
derful degree in the horse, 
in showing extremes of 
modification of intelligence 
and character. We see 
that one horse may be sen- 
"i^{ / ^ sitive, quick, intelligent, 

Fig. 128— Intelligent, docile family horse. keenly susceptible to fear; 
while another may be so wild, aggressive or vicious, as to 
make it dangerous even to go near; while another may be 
dull and stupid. One is resolute, courageous and deter- 
mined, while another may be timid in the extreme, with a 
sensibility so acute that he will not bear the least excitement. 
Now, if we study these peculiarities of character closely, 
we will observe well-marked differences peculiar to each. 
This will be shown by the form of the head, eye, and ear, 
color and size of the eye, as well as by the bodily structure 
generally. If, for example, there is a large, expressive, 
brown eye, set well out on the head, thin lids, broad forehead, 
short from eyes to ears, ears short, pointed, and not too wide 
apart, the head high between the ears, large nostrils, with 




CHARA CTER INDICA TIONS. 



231 



head well cut out under the eyes, there will be indicated the 
best type of intelligent, docile character, represented by Fig. 
128. 

If, on the contrary, the eye is small, round, of a greyish, 
dark color, set well into, and back on the side of the head, 
eyelids thick, forehead narrow, long from eyes to ears, ears 
long and flabby and set well apart, head rather long and full 
below the eyes, the nostrils well drawn in and nose rounded, 
there will be indicated a 
sullen, treacherous na- 
ture, of which Fig. 129 
is a good representation. 

Although I have 
made a great effort to 
give the best possible 
representation of these 
peculiarities of charac- 
ter, it is not in the power 
of art to designate the 
inner and constantly 
varying conditions of ex- ^. „ , , 

. . Ftg. I2g. — Represeitts the -worst character treated 

pression revealing the by the author. Taken from life. 

character, which becomes in itself the secret of understand- 
ing it. I call particular attention to this in applying the third 
or passive method of subjection, that the expression of the eye 
becomes the real key in determining when the horse submits. 
So that these illustrations, however perfect in themselves, 
can be accepted as but little more than mere suggestions. 

If the eye is large, clear, and sensitive, set well out on 
the head, eyelids thin, forehead broad, short from eyes to 
ears, ears rather pointed, but long, nostrils large, hair short 
and fine, we will have represented an intelligent, though ex- 
tremely sensitive character, — one that will not bear excite- 
ment, a good representation of which is Fig. 130. If the eye 
is large, showing a good deal of white partly closed, ears 
somewhat long, rather wide apart, and dropping back a little, 




222 



MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 



especially if rather long from eyes to ears, there may be even 
more than average intelligence, not apparently difficult to 
manage; but if once roused to anger, -he will be found deter- 
mined and reckless in resistance, of which Fig. 131 is a good 
representation, — cases which, when serious, require very 
careful conditions of treatment.* 

The better to explain these points I include illustrations 
of the greatest extremes of viciousness — the Tasmania Devil 

and Gorilla; the very 
expression of which, 
it will be seen, are 
suggestive of vicious- 
ness. There are some 
interesting points that 
might be referred to 
here in relation to 
correlative families, 
but space will not 
permit. 

It is easy to see, 

Fig. 130.— Ideal of seiisitive, jiervoiis character. then like the Studv of 

medicine or any of the more important professions, that any- 
thing like success worthy the name in the control of horses, 
implies, first, a correct knowledge of the principles of treat- 
ment, which cannot be given here; second, an intelligent 
understanding of the conditions, with the proper adjustment 
of treatment to them; that to intelligently treat the case, it is 

* It will be interesting to have me explain here that observation and 
experience finally taught me to judge the character with such accuracy, 
that if a man would tell me what his horse would do, if a marked case, I 
could with almost unerring certainty be able to describe the horse, even 
to size, color, and conformation; for, obtaining anything like a correct 
idea of a single part or act, I was given the clue to the general charac- 
ter; and if able to see a horse, even at a distance, his movement and 
general appearance indicated to me, with great certainty what I had to 
deal with. Indeed, during the later years of my professional efforts, 
when the people had become extremely critical, this knowledge was 
absolutely essential to my success. A number of interesting incidents 
illustrating this are referred to in other pages. 




ADAPTATION TO WANTS. 



223 



in the highest degree necessary to be able to understand the 
exact character; for without this knowledge there must nec- 
essarily be, especially in anything like serious cases, liability 
to failure as well as subjecting the horse to needless abuse. 
I may throw in here, by way of parenthesis, that to the 
carefully-observant student the condition of the nervous sys- 
tem demands the closest consideration. I have found as 
clearly marked conditions of insanity in the horse as ever 
appear in the human 
family, which would often 
add greatly to the difficul- 
ties of the case, if not to 
make the subject practi- 
cally beyond the resources 
of treatment. But the suc- 
cess with which many of 
even such cases may be 
controlled may well be re- 
garded as wonderful. 
"Wild Pete," the Wil- 
kins, Malone, and Hillman 
horse Jet, referred to, were 

good examples. ^^S- 131-— a vicious horse treated by the author. 

The eye in all cases reveals the exact conditions plainly. 
If in doubt about about it, then excite a little resistance, when 
note the amount of disturbance revealed, which will disclose 
with great accuracy the exact conditions, with the treatment 
to be used, and the degree to which it should be carried. 

ADAPTATION TO WANTS. 

It will be interesting in this connection to consider briefly 
another very important fact — the wonderful creative wisdom 
displayed in the difference in horses. While most people 
can readily see the difference there is in size, intelligence, and 
disposition of horses, but few seem to appreciate the wisdom 
of such differences. Let us examine this subject briefly. 




224 



MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 




w^. 






In the extreme north, where nootherdomestic animal could 
live or be of any use to man, they have not only a dog, but one 
of peculiar nature, which is singularly adapted to the wants 

of the Esquimaux as a 
beast of burden, fisher, 
hunter, etc. A little 
farther south they have 
the reindeer, which sub- 
sists on the moss pecul- 
iar to that region, and 
travels rapidly over the 
frozen snows, drawing 
heavy loads. In addi- 
tion to this, he supplies 
the people with subsist- 
ence in the way of milk, 
butter, cheese, and meat, 
and his skin makes the 




Fig. 132. 



-The Tasmanian devil. Most 
vicious animal knoivn. 

best of clothing. The Peruvians have the llama or alpaca, 
which, accustomed to climbing the mountains, carries heavy 
burdens over the Andes, and furnishes the people with milk 
for their children, wool for 
their clothing, and flesh for 
food. 

But perhaps the most 
interesting as well as won 
derful adaptation for special 
wants is that shown in the 
camel, which is so constituted 
that, while traveling over the 
arid, sandy plains of the des- 
ert, where water is the great Fig. 133 --Head of Tasmanian devil. 

requisite, he carries an extra supply of it within the body, 
sufficient in some breeds to last for a week. 

Now this singular adaptation for special wants is to a 
wonderful degree exemplified in the horse, in size, tempera- 




NATURAL ADAPTATION. 



225 



ment, endurance, intelligence, action, etc. Thus we have 
the large, heavy cart-horse, fitted for the drudgery of the cart or 
plow, with his opposite, the racer, which has the conforma- 
tion of the grayhound, enabling him to run with the fleetness 
of the wind. Between these extremes we see that we have 




Fig. 134. — The gorilla. 

almost countless modifications in size, intelligence, endurance 
and action, thereby fitting them the better for the various 
requirements of man. 

Now a very important point is placing the horse to the 
work for which nature best adapts him. In subjecting to 
treatment, it is equally important that we adapt it to the con- 
ditions of temperament and intelligence. 



15 



CHAPTER XIX. 



STRONG LIKES AND DISLIKES OF HORSES. 



1\ yr ANY horses of a highly organ- 



ized nature, easy and gentle 
^^^^^gmsrt^^jf^y to manage, when intelligently 
^^^^^K^^^^^\ treated, are frequently the most 
M^^^&s^^^8^W^^3&-' positive in their likes and dislikes, 
-^^E3 <^^f-i'^^^^^^^E consequently making it a very se- 
— ^^^^B^i^ M?r^y^^^^ rious matter, by any carelessness 
or abusive treatment, to excite their antagonism into activity. 
This is a point that was brought almost constantly to my no- 
tice by the history of the cases brought to me for experi- 
ment, and is one of great interest to the intelligent student. 
I will refer briefly to a few cases in point. 

ARND HORSE. 

This was a ten-year-old Morgan stallion, owned in Bath, 
N. Y., naturally of a fine, intelligent, docile disposition. I 
bought him for the purpose of teaching him to drive without 
reins, and succeeded in making him drive very nicely. For a 
stallion, he was singularly free from all inclination to bite, and 
other habits of viciousness. Later I sold this horse, with an- 
other, to a man named Arnd, at the time a hotel keeper in 
Bath, N. Y. Mr. Arnd (who was somewhat intemperate in 
his habits) one day, believing the horse acted as though 
about to bite, whipped him severely. Happening in the sta- 
ble at the time, I found Arnd in the horse's stall, greatly 
excited from the exertion of kicking and whipping. I told 
him with emphasis that he must not whip and abuse the horse 
in that wa}'; that if he did, he would make him so vicious he 
could do nothing with him. I advised him at once to give the 
[226] 




^ 



■^ 



328 



MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 



horse some apples, and handle and caress him until over the 
excitement. But he disregarded the advice, and about a 
week afterward I again heard a row in this stall. Proceeding 
to the place, I found Arnd, with hat off and face red with pas- 
sion, in the act of whipping and kicking the horse. I again 
told him in the most positive terms that he could not whip 
and abuse the horse in that manner without surely spoiling 
him, and that he must on no condition repeat it. As before, 
I urged him to treat the horse kindly, give apples, etc. ; but 




Fig. rsb. — The Arnd horse four years after being subdued. 

my advice was disregarded, and as the result, in less than a 
week afterward he came to me and said, " My horse is ruined; 
he is so vicious that he will kill any one going near him. If 
you will break him for me I will do anything you require." I 
found the horse perfectly furious, with eyes like balls of fire, 
and ready to jump at any one who might approach him. He 
did not seem to have the least recollection of me, and it was 
with the greatest difficulty I was able to get him out of the 
stall, and across the street into my tent. Upon taking him 
in hand carefully, and while his resistance was at first of the 
most wicked character possible, after about twenty minutes' 
treatment, he submitted unconditionally. After getting him 



THE ARND HORSE. 229 

to a point where I could handle him with safety, I talked to 
him and caressed him for some time, walking around with 
him, when he would follow me around perfectly gentle. I 
now directed that the horse be placed in the care of a quiet, 
careful man, whom I instructed to make it his business to 
visit the horse frequently in his stall, give an apple or two 
each time, caress and talk to him, but on no account to allow 
Arnd to go near or in his sight until I advised it. This treat- 
ment was continued two weeks, the horse acting just as gen- 
tle as before. Then while standing at his head I directed 
Arnd to come inside the door of his stall. The horse knew 
him instantly, and became greatly excited, but I managed 
to keep him quiet while Arnd was near him. 

I soon afterward left the place, but after the expiration 
of about four years I again visited that part of the State pro- 
fessionally. At Merchantsville, in the same county, I was sur- 
prised to find" this horse. I was informed after my leaving Bath, 
that the moment Arnd would come near, the horse would be- 
come furiously excited and seem ready to jump at him, but was 
perfectly gentle toward others. Mr. Arnd, convinced that he 
could not with any degree of safety manage him, sold him to 
his present owner, a resident of Merchantsville, who used him 
for breeding purposes and for a family driving horse. 

The owner told me his wife could hitch up the horse and 
drive him with as much safety as she could any old family 
horse, and he could take him out in the street by the halter 
and play with him with all the freedom he could with any pet 
horse. ' ' But, ' ' added he, "were he to see a bald-headed man, 
it would make him so furious he would kill him if he could get 
at him." Mr. Arnd was bald-headed, and the horse retained 
his peculiar repugnance to such an appearance. I took him 
into the streets by the halter, when he went through his tricks, 
driving without reins, just as promptly and obedient to the 
whip as when I owned him, over four years before. 

Another instance was related to me of a fine stallion, of 
a remarkably gentle character, owned by two brothers. One 



230 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

day happening in play to resist a little, he was struck by one 
of the brothers just once, and that not very severely, with the 
whip. The result was that he took such a dislike to that 
brother, and expressed it by such extreme viciousness, that 
he could do nothing with him, while to the other brother he 
continued just as gentle and manageable as before. Upon 
mentioning the principle before one of my classes, the inci- 
dent was related to me by the brother who had so struck the 
horse with the result stated. 

The Roberts horse, referred to on page 30, was a very 
striking example. This case, as stated, was of so intelligent 
and gentle a character that he could be handled by the ladies 
of the family, and was used by them as their family driving 
horse; but, in consequence of being thoughtlessly whipped 
once or twice by a rough groom, he was made so vicious that 
he would kill any one he could get to, and had nearly killed 
his owner. Yet, once treated by me, not requiring in all more 
than twelve or fifteen minutes, with careful, kind management, 
was fully restored to his former good character, proving after- 
wards entirely gentle, being hitched up and driven, as before, 
as their family carriage horse. 

I once had a gentleman, member of my class in Elkhart, 
Ind., request that I would look at a horse he had. I said; 
"Yes; you have a remarkably fine fellow here, but if you 
were to strike him once with a whip enough to hurt him much 
you would be almost sure to spoil him." Said he, "He is 
one of the gentlest horses you ever saw. My wife can drive 
him anywhere with perfect safety, but I should not want to be 
behind him and hurt him with a whip." 

In my regular work I refer, particularly in chapter on 
stallions, to the necessity for the most considerate, kind 
treatment, especially in the management of highly organized, 
intelligent cases, and from which I quote the cases here 
referred to. 



CHAPTER XX. 



SPECIAL CASES. 




,^ROM what has been said in other 
pages, I have thought it of sufficient 
interest to include here more par- 
ticular reference to a few excep- 
tional cases treated by me. In my 
regular work, with a view to making 
the instructions as plain as possi- 
ble, I give the exact facts in relation 
to forty of the best representative cases, giving age, 'color, 
size, temperaments, with the exact details of treatment. I 
am necessarily limited here to the facts only in relation to 
the horses, with the effects produced upon them. 

THE HILLMAN HORSE "JET." 

When the complete facts of this case are considered, it 
must be accepted as not only without a parallel, but as being 
by far the most remarkable as well as interesting case ever 
known in this or any other country. He was a young stallion 
out of one of the best trotting horses in the State of Maine. 
He was but little over three years old, and of beautiful form. 
Notwithstanding that the conditions of his management had 
been of the very best, when but little past two years old, in 
defiance of all that could be done, he developed such extreme 
viciousness as to become entirely uncontrollable. He was 
recognized as the most vicious horse of his age ever known, 
so dangerous, in fact, that it was the intention to have him 
shot. 

My attention was called to him incidentally by a promi- 
nent citizen, who said he had nearly killed a man named 
Eben Howe, had seriously injured several others, and had 
been shut up in a building for nearly a 3'ear, to prevent his 
killing any one. He stated that if I could subdue such a 

[231] 



232 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

horse I would prove my ability to subdue any horse in the 
world. Promising to take him in hand at my convenience, I 
requested that the horse should not be annoyed or molested 
in any way, but should occasionally be given apples, etc. 

Upon arriving in the State in the following spring, I 
went to see the horse privately; and upon a careful examina- 
tion, concluded I could not prudently experiment upon him 
before a class, and so announced I would take him in hand 
immediately after the close of the season's business, at which 
time 1 went specially to Portland for the purpose. Desiring 
to make the experiment a perfectly fair one, I appointed a 
special committee of three leading citizens, to invite a few 
representative horsemen to be present and witness the experi- 
ment. It being supposed that_ I would play some under- 
handed game, giving the horse medicine, or something that 
would control him for the present, a special committee was 
appointed to accompany me from the time I got up in the 
morning until the horse was brought forward for treatment. 

The real difficulty in the management of this case was 
in getting to him with safety and taking him from his stable 
to the place of exhibition. This, however, I was so fortunate 
as to be able to do without accident. Knowing by his tem- 
perament that what I term in my regular treatment the First 
and Second Methods of subjection would have but little if 
any effect upon him, I determined, as a matter of experi- 
ment, to try, by the Second Method, to impress him suffici- 
ently to enable subjecting him to the Third with safety, 
which is a method of acting directly but passively upon the 
nerve centers, and which in some cases produces the most 
wonderful results, frequently enabling the easy subjection of 
horses in a few minutes that would resist the severest treat- 
ment of other character. 

But notwithstanding the utmost precaution, it was with 
the greatest difficulty I was able, with any degree of safety, 
to apply this method of treatment. His resistance, as I 
anticipated, was of the most violent and desperate character, 
but within twenty minutes he became so quiet and docile that 
he was now hitched up and driven entirely gentle, after 
which he was turned loose in the midst of the crowd, without 
even a halter upon him, proving him to be perfectly gentle. 

An incident in relation to the subjection of this case that 
has not been referred to before will be interesting to mention 
here. 



''JET' SUBDUED. 233 

There being considerable controvers}' excited regarding 
the absurdity of my assuming to subdue such a horse, and 
this being brought to my attention m a way to demand notice 
before taking him in hand, on the impulse of the moment, 
after calling attention to the current talk m relation to the 
subject, and particularly in relation to myself, I was led to 
make the following proposition: First, that though I had in 
no way permitted myself to bet or wager any amount of 
money before, I would so far break my rules as to do so in 
this case. I accordingly stated that I would place, first 
$i,ooo against an equal amount that I would turn the horse 
loose perfectly gentle within thirty-five minutes. There be- 
ing no takers to this I next offered to place $5,000 against 
$2,500 that I would do it within thirty minutes. There being 
no takers to this, I offered next $10,000 against $5,000 that I 
would do it within twenty-five minutes, but no one ventured 
to accept it. The horse, however, was turned loose by me, 
entirely gentle, in exactly twenty-two minutes. I knew it 
could not be done in less than twenty minutes, and felt con- 
fident I could do it within twent3^-five. 

He was then taken charge of by a good practical horse- 
man, Mr. Robinson, whom I charged to treat him with the 
utmost kindness and care, and to go to his stable at least a 
dozen times a day, rub, caress, give apples to him, etc., 
which instructions were carefully carried out. 

On the Monday following, as a matter of precaution, he 
was subjected by me again to a short lesson, by what I give 
in my instructions as the Second Method, which was now ex- 
actly adapted to his condition, his temperament being 
changed to a marked degree by the previous treatment, so as 
to make this the most effective, after which he was driven in 
harness for about two hours. A week afterward, as pre- 
viously advertised, he was taken into the street and handled 
and driven, and shown to be as gentle and submissive as any 
ordinary driving-horse. On Fourth of July morning, two 
weeks afterward, I drove him in a street procession, when he 
proved to be one of the most fearless and manageable horses 
in the crowd. 

I include a synopsis of press notices of the time, in rela- 
tion to the subjection of this most notoriously vicious horse; 
but of most interest is the historical sketch of him, written 
by Mr. Robinson, in whose charge he was placed after his 
subjugation. 



234 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

" HORSE-TRAINING— A WONDERFUL PERFORMANCE. 

"The announcement that the well-known Hillman horse 
was to be trained at the South-street stable, drew a large 
crowd yesterday morning, as this horse is known to be one of 
the worst cases on record. Some few gentlemen, including 
representatives of the morning papers, took carriages and 
drove out to the residence of Rev. A. P. Hillman, near the 
Reform School, to see Professor Magner in his first attempt 
to handle the animal. 

" Last September he was placed in a large box-stall and 
had not been taken out until yesterday morning. . . In 
this condition Jet was led from the stall for the first time in 
eight months. The line of march was taken up for the city, 
a man on either side holding by the cords attached to him. 
All the residents on the way were in waiting to see the won- 
derful horse pass, and on reaching the city a large crowd fol- 
lowed the horse and his trainer to the stable. 

"The stable was thronged on the arrival, and after giv- 
ing the horse a slight rest, Mr. Magner commenced upon 
him. We cannot give the method of training, for it would 
be telling the secret by which he governs horses. Suffice it 
to say that in just twenty-five minutes the striking, dangerous 
horse was as mild as a lamb. He was turned loose, and 
wandered about among the horsemen as though he were an 
old truck-horse. The trainer jumped upon his back, and 
afterward harnessed him to a wagon, and drove about with- 
out the least strap to keep the wagon from striking his heels. 
The gathering was composed almost exclusively of horsemen, 
and each and every one of them pronounced the horse under 
perfect control, and they voted the Professor a vote of 
thanks." — Portland Press. 

'"JET* CONQUERED— AN INTERESTING EXHIBITION OF 
HORSE-TAMING. 

"When Magner first entered the stall, the demon in the 
brute showed itself in the most striking manner by frantic 
efforts to seize him with his teeth, rushing around his narrow 
quarters like a caged tiger, while the red flash of his wild 
eyes would have deterred many strong men from approach- 
ing him. But the Professor paid little heed to the wicked 
manifestations of this modern Bucephalus, and, taking 
advantage of his quiet seconds, firmly secured his head with 



SKETCH OF THE NOTED "JET:' 235 

cords, slipped a large hood over his head; and thus blind- 
folded and fastened in the strongest possible manner, hand- 
some 'Jet' was led in triumph to the city, and taken to the 
old riding-school on South street, arriving there shortly after 
9 o'clock. A large number of people interested in horses, 
including nearly every physician in the city, were assembled 
at this place; and, on the stallion's arrival, many were the 
comments on his remarkable beauty of form and color, as 
well as the strength and supple grace which every movement 
revealed. 

"At lo o'clock Professor Magner cleared the place of all 
spectators excepting those holding tickets of invitation from 
the committee having charge of the exhibition, and proceeded 
to carry out the promise of his circular. 

"Of course, the peculiar method by which, in a won- 
derfully brief time, one of the most savage stallions in 
the State was so completely conquered that he was harnessed 
to a carriage and driven around the enclosed yard, fast or 
slow, as suited, as well as backing, stopping instantly at the 
word, 'Whoa!" besides various other things, — all proving 
that the demon had been, temporarily at least, exorcised, — 
cannot be stated; but it was surely done." — Portland Argus. 

SKETCH OF THE NOTED HILLMAN HORSE, "JET." 
BY C. G. ROBINSON, ESQ. 

Who took charge of him after being subdued. 

" I have known 'Jet ' since he was foaled. He has been 
known as the finest and most promising colt of his age in the 
State, being of the best trotting blood. He has attracted the 
most widespread notice for his remarkable viciousness. He 
would look at a man pleasantly, yet bite, strike, or kick, as 
soon as within reach, and would fight as coolly and desper- 
ately as a bull-dog. If he could not reach the person with his 
forefeet or mouth, he would wheel and kick with the quickness 
of a mule. An}' one having a little experience with him once, 
let him alone afterward. When but eighteen months old, he 
was taken for exhibition to the Lewiston fair. It was with 
great difficulty that he was taken out after standing in the car 
two days, and he was not, in consequence, entered for compe- 
tition. His exploits at this age were numerous. For in- 
stance, a horseman who did not fear any horse, could not be 
prevailed upon to keep away, and, though warned to keep 



236 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

out, incautiously stepped into 'Jet's' department; when, 
quick as a flash, upon getting near enough, ' Jet ' cornered 
and crushed him under his feet with mouth and hoofs. When 
that man was rescued, which was with great difficulty, he 
needed no more admonitions to keep away. At different 
times foolhardy individuals were cornered in this manner at 
Lewiston; and each time the horse had to be clubbed to res- 
cue them. Though notoriously vicious, being remarkably 
fine in form and action, a great effort was made to use him 
for breeding. He was put in the care of Mr. Jacob Bailey, of 
Hiram, a horse-breaker who was highly recommended in the 
language, 'If he cannot break him, no man can.' Mr. Bai- 
ley had him but a short time, when he wrote the owner that he 
could not manage him at all, and that he must take the horse 
away; in fact the horse came near killing him. Then a 
Southern colored man, who had been used to taking care of 
blooded horses in the South, was recommended very highly 
to take him, and was employed by the owner. He had him 
but a few days before he was beaten. Then, with much dif- 
ficulty, with strapping and binding he was carried to Portland. 
In leading him from the cars to the stable, he got the man 
under him, who was rescured with difificulty from his ferocious 
fury. 

"Mr. Richardson and Eben Howe, two of our most ex- 
perienced and successful horsemen, now took him in hand. 
They attached ropes to his feet and head, tied up one foot, 
taking every precaution they could, and undertook to lead 
him to his owner's stable between them. In his efforts to 
resist, and of the men to hold him, Mr. Richardson's rope 
broke, when the horse at once jumped for Mr. Howe, catch- 
ing him by the breast of his thick overcoat, lifting him from 
the floor as if only a mere toy (Mr. Howe will weigh about i8o 
pounds), threw him down, and came down upon him with his 
knees, holding his grip with the tenacity of a tiger (Mr. Hill- 
man's words). Mr. J. Jewell, stable-keeper on Center street, 
grabbed a hay-fork and hit the horse three times heavily on the 
back of the head, while another man hit him in the same place 
with a butt of a heavy black whip; but his grip was only loosened 
by thrusting the fork-handle between his jaws above the nip- 
pers, and thus his mouth was pried open. Mr. Howe was so 
seriously injured that he was unable to attend to his duties for 
a long time; indeed, it is regarded fortunate, so bad were his 
injuries, that he was able to regain his health even then. By 



HETTRICK HORSE. 237 

being tied and hampered in the most effective manner that 
skill and ingenuity could suggest, he was led to Mr. Hillman's 
place in Cape Elizabeth, where he was kept confined for 
nearly nine months, until taken out two weeks ago, and sub- 
dued in the presence of our leading citizens by Prof. Magner. 
Such is but a brief outline of the character of this most re- 
markable horse. It is admitted by all that he was the most 
vicious horse of any age ever known in this country." 

HETTRICK HORSE. 

This case is mainly interesting as being one of the most 
pronounced of a certain class that I had to deal with. It 
will be interesting here, also, in showing the marked change 
possible to produce by proper measures of treatment. 

For a domestic horse, this was certainly one of the most 
vicious, kicking, striking, runaway brutes I ever saw. He 
was a large sorrel, weighing about 1,150 lbs., owned by a 
man named Hettrick, who kept a hack stable on Thirtieth 
street, near Sixth Avenue, New York City. This Hettrick 
happened down on Twenty-fourth street, and saw the horse 
hitched to a big dump cart, both wheels being blocked. Two 
men were holding him by the head, and the third was in the 
cart holding by the reins. The horse was sold for ^275 on 
condition that he could be driven, and to give assurance of 
his not getting away, these precautions had been taken. But 
notwitstanding which, the moment he was given freedom to 
move he plunged ahead with such reckless ferocity as to pull 
away and tear the cart to pieces. Mr. Hettrick left his card, 
with the statement that he would give $50 for the horse, 
which, the same afternoon was sent him at the price named. 
Expressing himself to me, he laughingly said: "I would not 
give a dollar for him for myself, but thought I would invest 
$50 for a subject to have some fun for you, and think I have 
got one that will try you." 

The moment I saw the horse, I knew I had a brute of 
the most dangerous possible character to deal with, and I 
accordingly told Mr. Hettrick that I did not consider it pru- 
dent to take such a horse before a class until I knew what he 
would bear, as it might cause me serious trouble to be able 
to get to him with any degree of safety, and besides it would 
expose the class to a danger I could not safely hazard. 

As he could be led without much risk, by keeping well 
out to the end of a long halter-strap, I had him taken over 



238 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

to my place on the opposite side of the street, where he was 
tied to the center pole of my tent. Upon trial, I was not dis- 
appointed; for notwithstanding I exercised the greatest care 
in approaching him, I could not possibly go near enough to 
touch him with safety, he not only striking in the most vio- 
lent manner, but springing into the air, and at the same time 
wheeling and kicking at me and snorting. He was simply a 
terror. It was only by the greatest difficulty that I was finally 
able to get to him with any degree of safety, and this only by 
the use of measures to disable him. When finally able to 
get my hands upon him and subject him to treatment, I found 
I could not, without the certainty of failure, let up on him 
until I brought him under complete control; for to do so 
would certainly jeopardize my success, as upon repeating the 
effort there was danger of not being able to secure the neces- 
sary reaction upon his nervous system to make him safe. For 
this reason (which is very important, especially in critical 
cases of his temperament), I felt compelled to carry the 
treatment to the extent of his complete subjection, which re- 
quired about thirty minutes to accomplish. 

The real point of success in the management of this case 
was in pushing him quickly. From the time I was able to 
get my hands upon him with safety it was, without a let-up 
at any point, a struggle for life, vintil successful. If treated 
at all timidly or carelessly, this case could not have been 
made safe. 

So complete and thorough, however, was his subjection 
that the same afternoon I hitched him to a buggy, and, ac- 
companied by the owner, drove him without breeching up to 
Central Park, proving him entirely safe and gentle. Next 
day he was put before a hack, in which position he was 
worked regularly afterward, and proved one of the best work- 
ing horses in the stable. 

I regarded this case at the time so interesting that after 
his subjection I employed the well-known artist, Mr. J. C. 
Beard, to make a drawing of his head, which I had engraved, 
and which is here presented. Although made after his sub- 
jection, when he was entirely gentle, it is seen to have the 
true expression of a vicious, dangerous character. 

THE BUFFALO OMNIBUS COMPANY'S HORSE. 

This case was mainly interesting, first, from the fact that 
he was so vicious that it was the intention to have him shot; 



THE OMNIBUS HORSE. 239 

and second, the remarkable results possible to attain by in- 
telligent treatment, as well as the facility with which it was 
accomplished. 

This horse was nine years old, a bright bay, remarkably 
fine, strong and intelligent; weight about 1,200 pounds. He 
had been worked to an omnibus, and was, it seems, by abus- 
ive treatment gradually made so vicious that it required 
great care to harness and handle him. He finally bit and 
crushed a man's arm, and inflicted such other injuries as to 
nearly kill him. The man was, in fact rescued only by the 
prompt interference of the other men. The horse was now 
so furious that he would jump at and bite other horses, and 
it was only by the use of pitchforks, etc., that the stablemen 
were finally able to drive him into his stall, where he stood, 
with his collar on, for over three months, no one in the time 
daring to go near him, his food and water being let down to 
him from above. Unable to work him, and fearing he would 
kill some one, the superintendent had ordered him shot, but 
for some cause it had been put off until the period of my visit 
there. 

One day, before commencing my exhibition, a gentle- 
man who was especially interested in my efforts, informed 
me privately of this case, explaining at the same time that 
there was a strong faction of opposition to me. They asserted 
that they would consider it worth their while to come and see 
me when I proved myself able to control this horse. The 
man stated that it was unreasonable to expect that such a 
horse could be broken. I told him I was not so sure about 
this; at any rate at my earliest opportunity I would try to see 
the horse and determine upon it. The seeming difficulty of 
controlling the case was just the reason why I felt anxious to 
make the trial. But this I kept to myself; without intimat- 
ing to anyone my purpose, I went to the stable named and 
had the horse pointed out to me. Observing that he was a 
large-brained, fine, intelligent fellow, I felt confident of ex- 
periencing no real difficulty in his management. I accord- 
ingly made myself known to the superintendent and asked for 
the horse to experiment upon before my class. He looked at 
me in amazement, replying that he considered the horse too 
dangerous to let me have anything to do with him; that I 
would surely get seriously injured if not killed, and in case 
there should be an accident, the public would blame him 
for it, and that he could not think of taking any such respon- 



240 MEMOIRS OF MAGNER. 

sibility. He was frank in stating also that so far as the horse 
was concerned, he cared nothing about him — it mattered not 
if I killed him, as he had given orders to have him shot, and 
intended to have it done at an early opportunity; but in any 
event, he considered the experiment so dangerous that he did 
not want anything to do with it. 

Finally, having convinced the gentleman that I would 
relieve him of all responsibility as to risk, he gave me per- 
mission to take the horse to my amphitheater, where, in the 
presence of a large class, comprising many leading citizens 
of that city, I quickly made him entirely gentle and submissive. 
The collar that had been on him for three months was taken 
off and put on at pleasure, the whole time of the treatment 
not exceeding twelve minutes. I ordered the horse put to 
work in charge of a good, careful man, and advised that he 
be brought back in a week to be tested. When brought 
back, he was tested severely and proved entirely gentle, and 
he remained so ever after. 

THE OXFORD HORSE. 

This horse is included as the best representative of an- 
other class of cases very common to my experience. He was 
seven years old, owned by a hotel keeper in Oxford, Miss. 
He was peculiar for his extreme sensibility, courage, and fine 
form. While entirely gentle to handle or approach, he would 
not bear the least abuse or excitement. The special pecu- 
liarity of the case was, that although a fine saddle-horse, 
entirely submissive and gentle to be mounted or dismounted 
in a building, it could not with safety be attempted outside 
the building. If an effort was made to lead, mount, or dis- 
mount him outside the building, he would jump and pull 
away, striking and plunging with the fury of a maniac, making 
him not only entirely unmanageable, but really dangerous; 
yet inside the building, as stated, he would be as gentle as 
any horse. 

As an illustration of the remarkable sensitiveness of this 
case, it was stated by the owner that once, desiring to shoe 
him, he was ridden to the blacksmith shop, but refusing to go 
in, he was struck upon the shoulder with the end of the bri- 
dle-rein and spoken to a little sharply, not enough to be at 
all noticeable to any common horse, yet in his case it was 
sufficient to excite such antipathy to a blacksmith shop that 
he could not be taken afterward near or into one, and had to 



THE OXFORD HORSE. 241 

be shod in his stable, where it could be done as usual without 
his exhibiting the least resistance. 

At two different times, traveling horse-taming parties had 
visited the place and tried their skill upon this case, each 
resulting in such disastrous failure that they had to leave 
town; the second parties making such an entire failure that 
they stole out of town during the night following. As a con- 
sequence when I visited the place their unpleasant experience 
made the people extremely exacting and critical in relation to 
my efforts, making it the first condition of my doing anything 
there that I should control this case. It was therefore a mat- 
ter of either giving up the place, or taking the horse in hand, 
and though I considered the case a very serious one, it was 
so contrary to my custom to throw up an engagement, which 
I in no instance permitted myself to do, and though subject- 
ing myself to considerable trouble for the reason of the diffi- 
culty of securing sufficient privacy outdoors, where he would 
have to be treated, I determined to take him in hand. 

Upon doing so, as a matter of precaution, I put on him 
a means of control by which any ordinary man could with ease 
control the strongest horse, but to guard against accident I 
secured the assistance of a strong, powerful man. The 
moment he stepped outside the door such a desperate struggle 
commenced — he to get away and we to hold him — as was, per- 
haps, never seen before; certainly such as I never witnessed 
before, or expect to again. In the desperation of his strug- 
gles, he sprang more than fifty times in succession into the 
air, and had we not been fortunate enough to be able to get 
him immediately back into the barn again, he certainly would 
have gotten away from us. 

I now had him mounted inside the barn, when he was 
ridden to a field about a mile outside the town, followed by 
the members of the class, which was a large one, where I 
subjected him to treatifient, when after about thirty minutes' 
effort I succeeded in making him entirely submissive to con- 
trol, when he was led back into town, mounted and dis- 
mounted on the public square, the experiment being regarded, 
as it really was, a great success. 



PART II-CRUELTY, 



243] 



CHAPTER XXI. 



GENERAL REMARKS. 





AS an appropriate introduction to the facts I propose giv- 
ing in this part of this little work, I think it proper 
to state that I wish to give only 
the plain facts as they appeared to 
me, and practical statements of 
what must be evident to a reason- 
ably observing and intelligent per- 
son. 

We see, first, that the horse 
is recognized as being nearest to 

in in- 
igence of ^J^^ 
the lower 

lals. He Nature and beauty . 

Iso the most willing and obedient, 
a matter of common experience for 
every one to see how a horse will tug 
id pull at a load until exhausted; or 
that at the will of any ignorant or 
thoughtless person who chooses 
to drive or mount him, he will go 
at the highest point of speed until 
nature can endure no longer, often 
even to the point of dropping dead. 
r^^— ^^ .,=^^ g4_-r^^^ He has, in fact, the exact qualities 
Nature. to make him the most useful and 

valuable servant of man. 

We could not go to church, to mill, plow the field, draw 
wood, or do much else bearing upon our business or pleasure 

L245] 



246 



CRUELTY. 



without the use of horses. It is for these reasons that the 
best men and women of the world, those of the highest intel- 
ligence and finest feeling, most fully appreciate the value of 
this noble animal. From the earliest times he has been the 
theme of history and art, the sculptor's model and the poet's 
song. 




Nahire. 

Even the uncivilized Arab values his favorite mare so 
highly that he sleeps by Ker side in his tent, and cares for 
her as he does for members of his family, and refers with 
pride to the fact that the pedigree of favorite breeds has been 
kept by them unsullied, even from the time of Solomon. As 
an illustration of this, an old story may be repeated. It is 
related that a sheik who owned a mare of great beauty and 
such speed that she could outrun any other horse possessed 
by the tribes of the desert, was offered a large price for her 



GENERAL REMARKS. 



347 




Speed and endiiram 



by a neighboring sheik who wished to possess her. This be- 
ing refused, the sheik offered to give all he possessed for her, 
but was indignantly refused 
again. Determined at all haz- 
ards to have her, though closely 
watched, he entered the camp 
and stole her. The owner and 
members of the tribe, on their 
fleetest horses, pursued imme 25[iS 
diately, and after a severe strug- 
gle, gaining upon her so much 
as to be almost within reach, 
the owner called to the man to 
"pinch her ear," which was a 
secret signal for her to do her 
best, when she immediately ran 
away from them with the fleet- 
ness of the wind. He preferred 
to lose her rather than have her 
past reputation sullied by even 
an appearance of being outrun 
and beaten by the inferior horses 
of the tribe. 

But high as the estima- 
tion is in which the horse is 
held by the Arab, the value 
now attached to him is so far 
beyond the estimation of the 
child of the desert during re- .^-m= 
cent years, as to be almost ^^^ 
fabulous. So high a value ^ 
has the horse of special speed ..^£ 
and breeding attained, it is ^/- / 1 1 / i n > u 

not uncommon to have them sold from fifty to a hundred 
thousand dollars, and even one hundred and fifty thousand 
dollars. There are horses represented in tliis little work that 




248 



CRUELTY. 




have been actually sold at from $36,000 to ^125,000, and one 
(Palo Alto), it is stated that a quarter of a million could not 
have bought before his death. 

What excites more attention 
or enthusiasm than the contest in 
speed of superior horses, the 
power to exceed certain limits of 
even a second or two in a mile, 
gaining for the winner almost the 
renown of a king or queen among 
men, and the possession of such 
being counted among the highest 
honors ? 

Once in conversation with a 
distinguished gentleman, he said: 
" I can sit here in my library and 
look in upon — ■ in his stall," 



mentioning really the most famous 
horse of that day. Here was a gen- 
tleman who had all that almost un- 
g- limited wealth could command, yet 
whose highest pride was the con- 
sciousness of possessing the great- 
est horse of his class in the world. 
Yet there is probabl}' no other 
domestic animal that is subjected 
to so much abuse, and this from 
causes not only entirely prevent- 
able, but, looking at it with rea- 
sonable fairness, in the highest 
degree nothing short of being 
wickedh^ senseless. First, in train- 





Thrce common fihascs of cruelty 



ing and breaking; second, by injury to the feet in shoeing; 
third, bv checking, blinders, etc. The causes of this un- 
limited abuse of the horse will be fully explained under these 
different heads. 



CHECKING. 



249 




CHECKING. 

Probably the most widely prevalent and noticeable 
causes of injury are checking and blinders. It should be evi- 
dent to almost any one that 
nature designs that the horse 
should not only have the fullest 
freedom of his head, but that 
he should be able to see plainly; 
that it must be not only ex- 
tremely annoying and trying to 
have the head held up helpless, 
as if in a straight-jacket, but 
to have the eyes so covered up 
that he can only see forward, 
as it were, from their inner cor- 

Naticre. 

ners. Now this is just the^ 
effect of checking and blind- 
ers as commonly used. 

When the horse's head 
is held up as usually done, 
to give what is falsely called 
" style " through restraint of 
the check, such restraint be- 
ing frequently kept up for 
hours, and perhaps all day, 
and this often while rapidly 
driven or hard worked, it 
should not be difficult to see 
that it becomes nor only one 
of the gravest causes of dis- 
comfort and injury to him, but to a great extent disables him. 
When, in addition, the eyes are covered up or Happed against 
by heavy blinders, as now used, not only is the horse pre- 




The prayer of tlic horse. 



250 



CRUELTY. 




Seeking 




relief 





rt,stia.iiif of 




tlu cJlCik 




From life 



vented from seeing plainly, but the eyes are 
subjected to serious injury. 

In the first place it should be plain to 
most any one that when it is necessary to put 
forth much effort, especially if at all severe 
and prolonged, there should be as much free- 
dom from all forms of restraint as possible, 
since opportunity for change of position is of 
\ itself in a great measure equivalent to rest- 
ing, and consequently indispensable to en- 
able the horse to work 
to advantage, as well as 
to afford him reasonable 
comfort. 

We notice the la- 
borer or athlete, espe- 
cially when desiring to 
put forth much effort, 
frees himself as much 
as possible from the irk- 
someness and trammel 
of restraint; and it is 
equally evident that a 
horse, in doing his work, 
should be made as much 

at ease from the restraint of the harness as 
possible. I regard this as so serious a matter 
that I have felt called upon to put it in such 
shape as to show the necessity for reform. 

A horse never looks so graceful and 
beautiful as when permitted to appear nat- 
ural. No one pretends to use check and 
blinders upon a riding horse because it would 
destroy his grace of motion, and on the same 
principle the horse should be given all possi- 
ble freedom of the head in driving or work- 




Extreme cruelty. 



CHECKING. 



251 



ing in harness. The free, natural movements of the head 
and neck, of my trained stalHons, as driven without reins, rep- 
resented on next page, was one of the most striking and inter- 
esting features of their appearance. In the experiments 
made before my classes, no matter how sensitive, spirited, or 
vicious a horse might have been, he was always driven with- 
out the restraint of check or blinders, and even without 




The ignorant snob out for a drive. 

breeching. In making these experiments, particular atten- 
tion was called to the necessity of having the harness so ad- 
justed or fitted that it would not in any way chafe or irritate; 
and more particularly against any hampering of checks and 
blinders, especially, when the horse was compelled to exert 
himself or work hard. 

The original object in using a check or bearing-rein was 
mainly to prevent the head being thrown down below the 
breast. It consisted of a simple strap, the ends of wliicli were 
buckled to the rings of the bit, passed through the lugs on 



252 



CRUELTY. 



each side, then attached to the throat-latch and back to the 
saddle-hook. The shorter the strap, and the higher the lugs 
were placed, the higher the head was necessarily drawn up 
and back; but even when drawn quite short, it still permitted 
the head considerable freedom. Various modifications were 
made of this form of check, mainly based upon pulley pur- 
chase, in connection with powerful, curved bits, for the pur- 
pose of elevating the head to give fictitious style; now being 




Nature. — The author's trained stallions as driven wiihottt bridles, bits or reins. 

used particularly upon fancy carriage teams in the principal 
cities of this country and England, as shown on page 250, see 
also blinders on page 264. 

When trotting became popular, it was supposed that 
horses of a certain temperament and form could be made to 
trot faster and more reliably by holding the head checked 
high, which lead to the introduction of the present form of 
the overdraw-check. This gives such advantage that no mat- 
ter what the form or temper of the horse, it holds his head up 
so arbitrarily that he becomes practically helpless to resist it. 
For this reason it has become popular, particularly with deal- 
ers and others, for the purpose of giving horses, especially 



THE TRUE INDICATIONS. 



253 



those that carry their heads low, 
fictitious style, and which has been 
the secret of this form of check 
coming into such general use. 
Every jockey and country fellow 
who becomes owner of a horse, 
no matter how low-headed or how 
little spirit he may have, finds that 
with this check he can pull the 
head up and hold it as high as he 
pleases. The illustrations given, 
though apparently exaggerated, are 
only a fair representation of this. 
Of course if left long enough to 
give the head reasonable freedom, 
or if not kept on too long, it 
would not be seriously objection- 
able; but used indiscriminately, as 
it is, upon, horses that are driven 
or worked hard, and especially 
with the head pulled up and held 
there above its natural position, 
as is generally done, it becomes 
one of the most serious causes of 
discomfort and abuse to which the 
horse is exposed. 

THE TRUE INDICATIONS. 

The height of the head itself 
is not the true indication of dis- 
comfort and injury to which the 
horse may be exposed by this 
cause, but the degree to which it 
is held above its natural position. 
A horse naturally high-headed may 
have the head appear quite high 
without suffering; while one nat- 




Nature ami comfort. 




Discomfort. 




Torture. 



254 



CRUELTY. 




urally low-headed, though not checked nearly so high, may 
have it so much above its natural position as to become a 

cause of serious discomfort and 
injury. 

The cuts on page 250 represent 
the efforts of a horse, when checked 
tightly, to relieve himself; it is in 
fact often nothing short of being 
pitiable to see the discomfort 
evinced by horses when their heads 
are checked beyond their natural 
positions in this way. These fig- 
ures were made from life, and are 
exact representations of the efforts 
of a gentle horse (seen by the 
writer) while being driven by two 

Nineteenth century imp7'oi'ements. 

ladies, with his head checked as 
high as it could be well pulled 
up; and this is but a fair rep- 
resentation of what may be con- 
stantly seen in almost every 
town, village, and city of the 
country, and this without excit- 
ing remark. 

Most people suppose that 
because successful trotting-train- 
ers drive trotters with the head 
checked high, they can be safely 
imitated; but it should be borne 
in the mind that the intelligent 
trainer and driver uses the 
check on the same principle that he uses toe-weights and other 
means of balancing and forcing the horse to his highest speed, 
and that as soon as he makes a race the head is immediately 




Deformity — a thtn. 



• be i>roiid of. 



OPINIONS ON CHECKING. 



255 



given freedom. Besides, no intelligent trainer now will as- 
sume it to be necessary to check the head above its natural 
position. He has not only learned this, but also to be very 
particular not to use a check upon a horse that is at all disa- 
greeable to him. He will also condemn checking high in 
moderate driving or mild exercise. On this subject I quote 
the opinions of the most expert trainers: — 




Fig-, ibj. — Trying to imitate the English aristocracy. 

Hiram Woodruff, the famous father of trotting, says: " In 
order that a horse may be under circumstances to do his best, 
he should be as much at his ease in his harness and general 
rig as possible." 

John Splan, one of our most famous modern trainers, 
says: " I think that as a rule, road-horses are checked en- 
tirely too high. To place a horse's head in that position, 
and ask him to pull five hundred pounds weight at a high 
rate of speed, is wrong. . . . With the head checked up with 



256 



CRUELTY. 



an overdraw check, short martingale, you have him in a posi- 
tion to torture without relief." 

Mr. Marvin, recognized among the very first experts 
upon this subject; says: " Observe well the way the horse 
carries his head, and let that be your guide when you come to 




jT/g" ibb — Torture of tlic fa^Iiwnoble Bcdoiiin or gag bearing rein. 

adjust his check-rein. . . . The less restraint or annoyance 
these appliances [checks and bits] give the horse, the better. 
These opinions are in accordance with the judgment of all 
leading trainers." 

''The over-draw check is a disgrace to civilization." 
Dr. McEachran, F. R. S., 
Director of the Royal Veterinary College, England. 



EFFECTS OF CHECKING. 



257 



" The check rein is extremely cruel — a hindrance to speed, 
and a cause of disease. It causes 
stumbling, painful breathing, limits 
the animal's power, and shortens his 
life." Dr. Fleming, 

Chief Veterinary Surgeon 

British Army. 
I quote the following high au- 
thorities regarding the serious in- 
juries caused by the check: — 

Prof. Axe, of the Royal Veter- 
inary College, London, Eng., says: 
"If the public could see and under- 
stand the effects of its [the bearing- 
rein's] insidious work on the res- 
piratory organs, I do not think that 
The only place where the check its use would be long Continued by 

can be used advantageously. fVi p>m " 

Prof. Freeman, of Nottingham, Eng., says: " The bear- 
ing-rein causes roaring and other diseases of the respiratory 






Forms of bits used with the bridles and checks represented by Fig. rbb. 

system. The cause is simple; the windpipe is forced into an 
unnatural curve by the bearing-rein, and the supply of air is 
therefore checked in its passage to and from the lungs." 

17 



358 



CRUELTY. 




Try It yontselj. 

land, and are fully corrobo- 
rated by our leading vet- 
erinary surgeons in this 
country. 

After the matter for 
this chapter was prepared, 
an article on the Abuse of 
the Check Rein, by Hon. 
Richard F. Reed, of Natchez, 
Miss., and read by him at 
one of the annual meetings 
of the American Humane 
Association is so well-worded 
that, at risk of some repeti- 
tion, I quote from it: — 

"The courts have de- 
cided, and the legislatures of 
a number of States have en- 
acted, that ' cruelty ' means 
not only . direct infliction of 
suffering, but includes every 
act of omission or neglect 



The following are given as a more 
concise statement of the serious results 
from this cause: 

" First, that in hot weather or dur- 
ing extreme exertion, it may produce an 
attack of giddiness or apoplexy, often 
terminating in death. Second, that it 
causes pain and distress in breathing. 
Third, that it tends to distort the upper 
part of the windpipe and causes roaring. 
Fourth, that it frets the temper of nerv- 
ous, excitable horses, and shortens the 
lives of all." 

These statements are endorsed by 
all leading veterinary surgeons of Eng- 




Hois) it -works. 



"TRY IT YOURSELFr 



359 




Just as good for the rider. 



whereby unjustifiable physical pain is caused or permitted. 
" It seems almost a waste of words to state to the Ameri- 
can Humane Association that a too tight check rein is cruel, 

nor will I present a formal argument, 
but simply express a few thoughts 
suggested by the subject. If a per- 
son cannot appreciate the truth that 
a tight check rein is a torture, let 
him for a short time watch a spirited 
horse over-checked. See how rest- 
less the noble animal is; how it tosses 
its unnaturally elevated head; how it 
stamps the ground uneasily; how all 
of its nerves are quivering; and how 
froth, often colored by blood, from 
the bruised tongue and jaws, flows 
from the trembling lips. If the per- 
son is so willfully blind from prejudice or otherwise inca- 
pacitated as to fai] to understand 
from this lesson of observation, 
and there seem to be many who 
are, then I recommend experi- 
ment. 'Try it yourself.' Put 
an overhead check rein on your 
own precious body. Pull back 
the lines as far as they will go, 
until your face is raised skyward. 
Then walk about the streets; run 
upstairs; jump over a crossing; 
push a wheel-barrow along; go 
and stand in front of a church 
for a couple of hours, and put 
on a few ' airs ' if you please. 
Now for an opinion. Experi- 
ment is a convincing teacher. 
Of course the experimenter will 
look quite stylish and high- 
toned. His friends may judge 
him wrongly somewhat, and 
say that he is getting too proud to speak to common folks. But 
how will he feel? Well, it would not be safe to ask him. 
However, I believe he would find the check rein ' guilty as 
charged.' 




A good place to use the check. 



260 



CRUELTY. 




The family horse trying to re- 
lieve himself from the 
i>ain of the clieck. 

graceful in their movements, 
as well as to be able to exert 
their full strength in drawing 
a load. Nature ordained 
that the horse's head should 
be free. The Holy Scripture 
teaches lessons of mercy, and 
condemns cruelty. Who can 
present a valid argument to 
justify the use of this cruel 
contrivance? I have never 
heard such." 



" The check rein is refined 
torture. It is used to make a 
horse look spirited whether he is 
or not, and false pride causes it 
to be placed on the unfortuate 
animal. People will be barbar- 
ously cruel for the sake of ap- 
pearance. Let me say that, in 
my judgment, there is something 
lacking in the culture of any 
person who uses the tight check 
rein. Horses were intended to 
have their heads free. They 
need the unrestricted use of 
their muscles in order to be 





Trying to obtain relief from pain of the check. 



The horse trying to obtain relief 

Another leading writer in 
discussing this subject says: — 

" It is pitiful to go through 
the park or pass through the 
fashionable streets of our 
cities and see the sufferings 
which are endured by horses. 
While being driven round the 
park, stopping at fashionable 
stores and other places, 
horses may be seen undergo- 
ing this torture for hours to- 
gether. The liveried brute 
and idiot of a coachman, of 
course, thinks it a very fine 



CRUEL IGNORANCE. 



261 



thing to sit behind these poor animals with their stuck up 
heads. I look at the arms of the carriage and I know who 
are the greatest fools in the upper class. I have often 
wondered to see ladies sitting in their luxurious carriages, evi- 
dently ignorant of the fact that the incessant tossing of heads 




Indicates a lack 0/ brains. 

and rattle of harness are sure proofs that their horses are suf- 
fering from ceaseless pain. A dog would yelp and a cat 
would scream if such pain would be inflicted upon it, and 
would soon force its tortures upon the ear when the eye took 
no notice. But the horse neither yelps nor screams. It suf- 
fers silently, and its owner is too thoughtless to see that it is 
in pain." 



CHAPTER XXII. 



BLINDERS. 




u 



Photographi d Jfuin liji 



ET us, in the same fair and im- 
partial spirit, consider the 
subject of bhnders; for injurious 
as the check is, they are, if possi- 
ble, a cause of even more discom- 
fort and injury. Blinders are 
used under the assumption that 
they render the horse more safe and tractable; whereas they 
really make him more unsafe and unmanageable, as will be 
explained farther on. But they are used mainly with a view 
to making the head look better. This is also a mistake; for in- 
stead of improving the ap- 
pearance, they really de- 
tract from and injure it. In 
proof of this, notice the in- 
telligent expression of the 
eye in Fig. 182, which il- 
lustration was made ex- 
pressly to demonstrate 
this. The intelligent and 
observing owner will per- 
ceive that enabling the 

horse to see everything Fig. iSj.— Thc naiurai eye. 

around him distinctly is an important condition of making 
him safe, of which in thousands of instances I have given the 
most convincing demonstrations. 

Now blinders, as generally used, are not only a serious 
obstruction to the horse's seeing plainly, but also a cause of 

[263] 




264 



CRUELTY 




Fig. iSj.— The eye 
entirely covered. 




Not seriously 
objectionable. 



great injury in striking against the eyes, or 
being pressed upon them. Frequently the 
wire clinch of the ornament of the blind be- 
comes raised and so presses against the eye 
as to be a cause of serious injury to it, be- 
sides the pain thereby caused to the horse. 
One of the points I early learned was the 
necessity that the horse should see everything 
around him plainly, and it was for this rea- 
son that I always drove the most nervous 
and excitable horses without the ^ 

restraint of either blinders or 
check. 

To show the importance as 
well as extremely exposed con- 
dition of the eyes, I give first a 
front view of the eye in its 
nearly natural size, and the 
better to show the exact degree 
to which it stands out on the 
side of the head, I had photo- 
graphs made from life, represented 
on pages 262 and 263, which il- 
lustrate this very finely; thereby 
showing the serious injury to which Fig. i84.~Eyc 

J , 1-111,1 • almost covered. 

they are liable by the covering or 
contact of blinders. Figs. 183 and 184, which 
have also been photographed from life, repre- 
sent the exact position in the ultra-fashionable 
form of blinders, as used especially in the larger 
cities. As will be seen they are so large and 
concaved so deeply that they come in front and 
around the eyes so closel}^ that they actually 
cover them up. Farther on are given other 
interesting illustrations, showing the injury and 
annoyance from this pause. 





Tins is put in to show tlie beauty of the eyes in nature, and tlie wickcil lolly of covering tlieni 



266 



CRUELTY. 



HOW BLINDERS WERE INTRODUCED. 



According to an old story, an English nobleman had a 
favorite horse with a defective eye, to conceal which he at- 
tached to the cheek-pieces of the 
bridle, wide pieces of leather, 
which were termed "winkers," 
which partly covered the eyes. 
Then it was soon found that the 
outside surface was a good place 
on which to put the crest of rank, 
and the foolish vanity of fashion 
brought them into use. 

In explaining the location of 
the eyes, and the harm done by 
covering them up, the following 
from a high authority is so well 
worded that I cannot do better 
than quote it : — 

" Human vision is binocular; 
that is, we see the same objects 
with both eyes, and so adjust the 
axis of vision that the object ap- 
pears single, though seen with 
both eyes. But the eyes of the 
horse are placed on the side of the 
head, and the axis of each eye is 
nearly at right angles with the 
longitudinal line of the body, so 
that it is impossible that the same 
object can be distinctly seen with 
l)oth eyes. Now by blinding [cov- 
ering] the eye in the direction in 
which it was intended in its con- 
struction that it should see (for- 
ward, sideways and back), it is forced to use an oblique vis- 
ion, as if we should cover the front of our optics and be com- 
pelled to see by the corners of our eyes. This unnatural and 




from the country. 




Fliotoj.iaj hid fiojn liji 



INJURY AND DISCOMFORT. 



267 



constrained use of the eye must to a greater or less extent 
impair vision, if not entirely destroy it." 

INJURY AS WELL AS DISCOMFORT. 

Not only are blinders a source of great discomfort to 
the horse, preventing him from 
seeing plainly, but they often cause 
the most serious injury to the eyes. 
This is especially the case should 
the clinch or wire holding the or- 
nament either extend beyond the 
surface of the leather or become 
raised much, it so rubs against the 
lids of the eyes as to irritate and 
break the skin. I have frequently 
found the outer edge of the eye a 
raw sore from this cause, and the 
eye seriously affected in conse- 
quence. While writing this arti- 
cle, in examining the blinders of a 
horse in the street, I found thai 
the wire clinch was raised, and 
that it had pressed into the eye 
almost a quarter of an inch, with 
the result of cutting and injuring 
the part very seriously. Figures 
193 and 194 were made to show 
the way this clinch was raised and 
the injury it caused the eye, and 
are but a fair representation of the 
injury caused in this way. Now 
when it is borne in mind that a 
large proportion of the horses 
throughout the country are constantly compelled to endure 
the same cause of pain, something of the magnitude of this 
source of harm can be realized. 




Photographed from iijc. 



268 



CRUELTY 




Photographed from life. 



In order to be entirely fair in explaining these causes of 

harm, I went into the street and had photographs taken of 

the heads of eight ordinary driving or work horses, all of them 

farmers' horses (from six of 
these, which are a fair aver- 
age, I had engravings made, 
shown on pages 266 and 267), 
to show the degree to which 
the eyes were pressed upon 
or flapped against from this 
cause, as well as to give an 
accurate idea of its natural 
position in relation to such 

obstructions; in point of fact, it is hardly possible to show 

this in the engraving, as exhibited in cases presented to my 

notice. While taking these photographs, I found one case 

in which the ej'e 

was so injured in 

consequence of the 

sharp corner of the 

blinder violently 

striking against it, 

that it was entirely 

closed; the horse 

could not see at all, 

the head being wet 

with water running 

from the eye as 

shown on page 269. 

Though I called 

the owner's atten- 




Raised clinch. 



fig. iq4-. — Its effect 



tion to it, he seemed to regard it as of but little conse- 
quence; but I said to him, "The blinders do not do any 
good; and why not take them off ? " and yet the stupid fellow 
could not see the point of it, for he simply looked at me as if 
I were meddling with something that did not amount to 



WHEN USED TO ADVANTAGE. 



269 



much; and this is but a fair illustration of the ignorance and 
apathy prevalent throughout the country in relation to it. 

WHEN THEY MAY BE USED TO ADVANTAGE. 

In certain cases blinders may be used to advantage. A 
lazy horse will drive steadier and better if he cannot see the 
motion of the whip behind him, and blind- 
ers might be desirable for such horses; but 
in all cases they should be so formed or ad- 
justed as not to touch or press against the 
eye, or interfere with his seeing everything 
before him clearly. A horse with an ugly 
head or suffering the loss of an eye, may 
be improved by the use of nicely adjusted 
blinders. The next most desirable condi- r||ll'' 
tion for their use is when the horse is im- Properly adjusted. 
perfectly trained, especially when hitched to a top carriage; 
the covering of the eyes with blinders often enables one to 
drive him with comparative safety. But while I would make 





Ap-pcarancc of eye -when injured by the blindcv. 

this exception, I would also caution that it is liable to be- 
come a serious source of danger. 

To explain: A horse has been driven, perhaps months or 
years to a top carriage, without trouble. Unexpectedly one 
of the blinders becomes misplaced or loose, or the bridle be- 
comes changed for one the blinders of which cover the eyes 



270 



CRUELTY. 




but imperfectly; or perhaps in changing harnesses, the bridle 
proved too short, and in letting out the cheek pieces the 

blinders were brought 
too low for the eyes. In 
any case, the horse is 
able to see the top, be- 
comes frightened at it, 
springs ahead, and the 
result is usually a dan- 
gerous, kicking, runa- 
way scrape. What is 
supposed to be a gentle 
horse has without any 
apparent cause become 
suddenly frightened and 
unmanageable, and the 
consequence is a serious 

Style prevalent in large cities. • i , i • i i 

accident, which not only 
destroys the character of the 
horse, but is likely to result 
in serious injury and very 
great loss. 

Once, after explaining 
this very common cause of 
trouble to my class, a gentle- 
man present made the fol- i 
lowing statement: A horse 
that was considered perfectly 
gentle and safe, having been ^ 
used for years for family 
driving, was hitched to a 
carriage, in which were seated 
the Owner's wife and child, 
when the man noticed the hal- 
ter had been left on under the bridle, and he attempted to 
remove it. The instant the bridle was taken off sufficiently 




Tlie old farm horse with blinders 



CA [/SES OF FRIGHT. 



271 




to permit the horse to look back over his shoulder, and see 
the top of the carriage behind him, he became so frightened 
that he plunged ahead and 
got away. The woman was 
thrown out and killed, the 
child seriously injured, the 
wagon wrecked, and the horse 
made so nervous and excit- 
able that he could not after- 
ward with safety be hitched 
or driven to carriage. An- 
other very common source 
of trouble from this cause is I 
the driving of a horse of 
this character to an open 
buggy or carriage. A shower ^^""^' '^''"^^' "^''"''' "'' ''"■ 

or storm comes up, and an umbrella is raised behind him. 
Able to see back over the blinders, he becomes frightened at 

it and plunges 
ahead, resisting all 
control. The re- 
sult is often a run- 
away and serious 
accident. This was 
the simple history 
of a large propor- 
tion of the cases 
'^'^^W brought me to ex- 



periment upon be- 
fore my classes. 

A horse, like 
ever}^ other animal, 
is naturally suspi- 
cious and fearful of every object that he does not clearly see, 
or the nature of which he does not comprehend; and it is 
evident that he must either be prevented from seeing anything 




Fashion in. the country. 



272 



CRUELTY. 



at all or be permitted to view every object plainly and un- 
obstructedly. Now the effect of blinders is to increase the 
difficulty of seeing, making it impossible for the horse to see 
objects before him clearly, especially if his head is checked 
high. A sensitive, intelligent horse, particularly, will al- 
ways drive better when the eyes are entirely unobstructed, 
because he can see better and more clearly understand the 

commands and intentions 
of his driver. He becomes, 
as it were, more in sympa- 
thy with his driver. 

This was finely illus- 
trated b}^ the alertness of 
my horses trained to drive 
without reins. They would 
constantly turn their heads 
right and left, the more 
quickly to obey the com- 
mands indicated by mo- 
tions of the whip. See 
Fig. loo. So there can be 
no question that with the 
Photographed from life. bridle properly arranged, 

permitting the eye, by far the most beautiful and ex- 
pressive feature of the head, to be unobstructed, the horse 
not only looks far better without than with blinders, but 
is immeasurably safer. Then it is the work only of a few 
minutes' intelligent treatment (the whole secret being in 
knowing what to do), to make any colt or horse so that he 
will be entirely indifferent to any of these objects, such as a 
carriage top or umbrella being raised behind him. 

But even if it be advisr\^")le to use blinders in certain 
cases, what is the necessity or sense of using them upon team 
horses and others that are entirely safe and gentle ? They 
only add to the expense and weight of the harness; and espe- 
cially in hot weather, covering the eyes as they do, and neces- 




AN INCIDENT IN POINT. 



273 



sarily greatly increasing the temperature around them or 
knocking against them, they become, as already stated, not 
only a cause of great discomfort and harm, but interfere 
seriously with the horse's seeing clearly. 

Consider for a moment how 3^ou would feel if placed in 
such a situation yourself, without being able so make protest 
or defense. 

The following incident is so much in point that I con- 
clude to here give it a 
place : — 

An illiterate but witty- 
Irishman had a poor horse 
that he was in the habit of 
driving to a truck wagon to 
market. The weather was 
hot, the flies troublesome, 
and in addition to the load, 
the poor horse, which had 
been, by the way, denuded 
of his tail, was struggling 
piteously, while the man was 
in conversation with a neigh- 
bor, in trying to protect him- 
self from annoyance. Upon 
the old bridle was an ex- 
ceptionally big pair of wink- 
ers or blinders, which, with 
the horse's every movement 
right or left, flapped vio- 
lently against the eyes. Excited hy torture of burrs. 

Said the observing gentleman, who was of a humane turn of mind, 
with a meaning look at the horse's head: " Pat, suppose that during this 
hot weather you had a couple of pieces of thick leather, as heavy and 
stiff as two pieces of board, put over your eyes, pressing against and 
covering them up, not only so that you could not see, or with great diffi- 
culty, but confining and heating the air around them, and conseciueutly 
seriously hurting them. How would you like it?" Pat, who, though in 
the roughest garb and an apparently dull fellow, was quick to appre- 
hend, with a sparkle of intelligence in his eye, said to his interlocu- 
tor: " Begorra, sor, don't say another word. Pll fix it;" got on his load, 
and drove on. But next morning when Pat came along, he made an op- 
portunity to stop, and with apparent indifference looked at his friend 
with a sense of proud significance, at the same time glancing toward 
the horse's head: " Top o' the mornin' to you, sor.'' I'pon looking, the 
gentleman could see that the blinders had been not only cut off from the 
old bridle, but the horse was covered by a comfortable netting. The 
gentleman, with equal meaning, expressed his satisfaction, saying: 
" Pat, I am glad to see you. Pm sure you're good, and that you have 
the prayers of the "Virgin to help you this morning." 

i8 




374 



CRUELTY. 



The efforts that have been put forth for years by the hu- 
mane societies of this country and Europe to effect a reform 
in these respects, are deserving of the strongest encourage- 
ment on the part of every admirer and lover of horses, and 
of every Christian lady and gentleman j and it is to be hoped 




Senator StanfonV s famous Palo Alto (2.08K) . 



that the day is not distant when the public generally will ap- 
preciate and act upon these facts, so that the needless and 
improper use of both checks and blinders may be among the 
things of the past. 

Before giving this matter to the printers, the following, 
handed me by a friend, is so much in point that I give it a 
place here : — 



SOME MEAN MEN. 



275 



SOME MEAN MEN. 

The man who starts his horse with a cut of a whip instead of by his 
voice, is a mean man. 

The man who requires his horse to draw a big load or go as fast on 
muddy roads as on dry ones, is a mean man. 

The man who whips a startled or frightened horse is not only mean 
but cruel and silly. Whipping* does not allay fear, but the assuring 
voice of a kind driver does. He who kindly shows his horse that the 
cause of his fear will not hurt him, acts like a man, and will cure his 
horse of timidity, but the whipping idiot makes him a chronic shyer. 




The noted Godolphin Arabian. Most famous horse of the i8th century. 

The man who has his horse " clipped " in winter and puts fur gloves 
and heavy overcoat on himself, is an especially mean man. This sort 
of a man smokes 25-cent cigars and finds fault with his wife because 
she can't dress on $30 a year. 

The man who checks his horse's head above its natural and easy 
position because, to his depraved taste, it " looks better," is a mean man, 
and ought to have his head strapped out of place in the same way. 

The man who leaves his horse uncovered on a cold day, is a mean 
man. This sort of man buys cotton gloves for his wife and fur ones for 
himself. 

The man who lets his horse go hungry or thirsty, because it is some 
trouble or expense to relieve him, is a mean man. This sort makes 
his wife carry the valise, lunch basket and the baby, while he carries— a 
cane. 



276 



CRUELTY. 



The driver who lets his axles get dry, because he don't want to stop 
to oil them, comes under this head. When drivers have to draw the 
wagon there will be no dry axles. 

Mr. Pennywise who thinks it cute to reduce his horses' feed and get 
the same work out of them by torture — whipping — is not only mean but 
worse. A horse is like a locomotive; both must be fed, and you cannot 
get any more power out of either than you put in. 




Clipping the cars - a fashion formerly in vogue in England. 

Mean men have but little sense, otherwise they would not be mean. 

Mean men are despised even by those who treat them well, and 
everybody notices meanness. 

Mean men are a poor sort to marry. Girls should remember that a 
man who neglects or abuses his horse, cow or dog will abuse and neglect 
his wife or child. If meanness is in a man it will certainly slop out onto 
whatever he dominates, be it horse or wife. If you want to know 
whether a man is mean, observe how he treats his animals. It is a sure 
indication. 



CHAPTER XXIII. 



DOCKING AND NICKING. 



THIS fashion, which is again becoming very prevalent in 
this country, is of a piece with the others referred to, 
being if anything worse than they, because depriving the 
horse of the ability, so important to his comfort, to protect 
himself from the annoyance of flies. This is particularly 
so in this country where the summers are so much hotter 





Ideal bob tail. 

than in Europe or Eng- 
land, and consequently the 
flies so much more trouble- 
some. In addition, the 
operation is extremely 
painful and often danger- 
ous, because so much in- .Xatmr. 
flammation is liable to result as to not only cause the loss of 
the hair of the tail, but of producing tetanus, and eventually 
death — a very common occurrence. 

From thirty to forty years ago the custom of docking and 
nicking was about as common as the use of the overdraw- 
check is now. In those days I often saw in a single stable 
as many as half a dozen horses in pulleys after such opera- 
tions as represented on next page, 

1 277 J 



278 



CRUELTY. 



The method at first most common in England was sim- 
ply to square off the hair of the tail at the end of the dock, 
termed " bobbing," which was soon superseded by amputat- 
ing or cutting off one or more joints of the dock, and there- 
by shortening the tail according to the dictates of fashion or 
fancy of the operator. This amputation was often carried to 

such an extreme as to ( )"1 \ \ TU— -J 

leave little more than 
the merest stump of 
a tail, with just a 
fringe of hai 
resented on 





The nerves and ligaments of 
the under side were severed, 
the hair or what was left of 
it, gathered into a knot, to 
which a cord was attached. 
This was passed over a pulley 

Fig. 2oj.-Method of fulling up the tail. ^^ ^^-^^ ^j^^ ^^|^ ^^^ j^^j^ 

up by weights and made to grow into an erect position, as 
shown by illustration. To accomplish this successfully the 
horse is required to stand in his stall with the tail so pulled 
up, for several weeks. This constant and unnatural strain 
upon it frequently produced, as stated, so much inflamma- 
tion in the tail as to cause the loss of the hair, or tetanus, and 
thereby in most cases the loss of the horse. My purpose 
being to present this subject with the greatest fairness, I 
wish to make this statement-: — 

There is only one class of cases in which the cutting off 
and raising of the tail is admissible or at all excusable. These 
are nervous mares that kick when they happen to catch the 



DOCKING ILLUSTRATED. 



279 




reins under the tail, or horses that are exceptionally trouble- 
some in driving by catching and hugging the rein under the 
tail, when they are liable to kick and run away. In such 
cases, b}' docking and raising 
the tail, the horse is made 
more safe and serviceable and 
its market value increased, in 
which case it may be resorted 
to as any other needed surgi- 
cal operation. But these are 
rare exceptions, and almost 
on the plane of driving horses 
with the eyes covered up with 
blinders to prevent their be- 
coming frightened, which Tells its own story . 

would be entirely prevented by a little very simple treat- 
ment, easy for anyone to do, as I have countless times dem- 
onstrated. But the operation could be obviated by the simple 
expedient of putting on a thick but soft crupper, which would 

prevent the rein from be- 
ing caught and held b}^ 
the tail. 

Just before giving this 
matter to the printers, the 
following, which I clip 
from a leading horse paper 
{Clark's Horse Review), is 
so much in point that I 
consider it worthy of a 
place: — 

"When the custom of 

Tells its own story. 'docking' was first prac- 

ticed we have no information, but that it is a relic of barbarism 
is certain. The tail of the horse, in a state of nature, is one of 
his crowning beauties, and it is evidence of but a sadly per- 
verted taste, a brutalized instinct, akin to that which clips the 
ears of a dog and in various other ways mangles and deforms 




280 



CRUELTY. 



the best members of the brute creation. At present it is most 
highly developed in this country as a fashionable 'fad' — a 
foolish, an illogical, an inhun>ane Anglomaniac aping of a 
British barbarity, yclept style — and as such practiced and 
sanctioned chiefly by that coterie known as 'the 400 '--the 
aristocracy of wealth, not the aristocracy of taste, of culture 
or of brains. To every right-minded man, whose instincts 
are humane, whose ethics are not perverted, whose refine- 
ment is innate and not an artificial veneer, whose aesthetic sen- 




A matter of connnon occurrence. 

sitiveness is not blunted, it is an abomination deserving the 
ban and proscription of the law." 

The wicked foolishness of this custom is so well depicted 
by a leading writer that I am led to give place to his words: — 

"The unornamental and wholly useless fringe of hair 
which marks the end of a fashionable horse's brief remnant 
of tail, did not reach its present attenuated appearance by 
the progress of a natural revolution, nor yet by a single 
bound, as did that of Tam O'Shanter's trust}^ mare 'Meg.' 
Cruel fashion directed the knife of the horse-doctor, as joint 
after joint and nerve after nerve was ruthlessly cut away, un- 
til little more than a coccyx remains of what should be a 



FOOLISH FASHIONS. 



281 



flowing mass of shining hair, the comfort of the horse and 
the pride of his owner. 

"They began, first, by leaving the stump of the tail its 
natural length and squaring or cutting the hair off down to it, 
called 'bobbing.' But they have since cut away the stump of 
the tail, and cut the nerves and ligaments by which it was 
kept down in its normal position. Aside from the pain in- 
flicted, the horse is robbed of the protection from flies which 
nature intended his tail to afford him. The tail will never 




A n old, old story. 

grow again. All the rest of his life he is deprived of it, and 
when for any cause he is turned out to pasture, the flies find 
him a helpless victim." 

This writer had talked with a leading veterinary surgeon 
in relation to it, and quotes from his words as follows : — 

"If it were announced that it had become fashionable 
in England to cut off half the left ears of horses you would 
see in a very short time a majority of the horses in this city 
with their left ears amputated. It is a blind following of 
fashion merely, and nothing but the most stringent laws can 
stop it." 

The following are representative statements regarding 
this foolish custom from the highest authorities : — 



382 



CRUELTY. 



" I believe the time is near at hand when even the cow- 
leech [the most ignorant horse doctor] will perceive the 
absurdity of endeavoring to improve upon the fair forms of 
the most graceful works of nature, and will leave the horse's 
tail, not less ornamental than useful, alone." 

" As a general custom inflicted on the horse, merely to 
please some ignorant fancy, docking is most justly repro- 
bated. It is a cruel operation, not only from the pain 
thereof, but even more cruel in depriving the poor animal of 




) iiiij; / //» tit f I (I dn t 

the beautiful provision which nature has given him as a de- 
fense from flies and other equine torments with which this 
country especially abounds. It also sometimes produces 
lock-jaw, and results in death." 

Dr. Zuill, Professor in the Veterinary Department of the 
Pennsylvania University, says: "Docking horses is cruel, 
even barbarous, and is discountenanced by the profession." 

Geo. Fleming, the highest veterinary authority in Eng- 
land, says: "Docking decreases the value and usefulness of 
horses." 

The State of Massachusetts regards it so serious an of- 
fense that a penalty of ^250 is imposed for docking; and 
many other States have equally stringent laws. 



NEEDLESS TORTURE. 



283 



A leading veterinarian states that out of over thirty cases 
of tetanus which he had been called to treat in one year, 
twenty-seven resulted from docking. 

In commenting on the subject, the New Orleans Ficayittie 
says: " He who docks a horse should be confined naked on a 
sugar dock in fly time, with his hands tied behind him." 

In a discussion of this subject in the Massachusetts Leg- 
islature, shortly before this chapter was put in t3'pe, the fol- 




Young- sports reUirned — tlie horse rttined. 

lowing statements, which I quote from Our Dumb Afiimals 
(published by Geo. T. Angell, Esq., Boston, Mass.), are so 
much in point that I give them a place : — 

" In August last I walked side by side on Beacon street with an ele- 
gant equipage; there was no one in the carriage, and as it was intensely 
hot, the coachman was walking the horses, a noble pair of chestnuts; but 
those animals were scarcely less than frantic with torture; their broad 
backs were literally speckled with black flies; they thrashed their heads, 
and whisked their poor little stumps, all along the street, while the 
coachman held them in by the bits. . . . 

" Tradition tells us that one of the ingenious forms of martyr- 
dom was to tie the victim hand and foot, and expose him to swarms of 
insects; the end was a terrible form of insanity and a fearful death. We 
have made great progress, have we, because the battle for opuiion's sake 
is now fought with type? Yes, and then our 'best society' takes its most 



284 



CRUELTY. 



faithful servant, powerless to speak for himself, and helpless to resist, 
and inflicts upon him this very martyrdom. . . . 

" I feel it my duty to enter my protest against a continuance of 
docking horses' tails; mutilating, torturing a faithful animal for life. 
Kindly think for one moment what this cruel, barbarous performance 
means! — cruel and painful in its operation and lasting in its effect. 
Flesh, sinew and bone cut away for the gratification of a few sefiseless 
cowards. I say cowards with a full sense of its meaning, because the op- 
eration is always done secretly and tender cover. These people desire to 
follow a fashion which has nothing to recommend it whatever, for it does 
not lengthen the life of the horse, add to his speed or render him more 
tractable, nor is it justifiable in any sense whatever. . . . 

" The incident of the debate was Mr. Russell's question of Mr. Mori- 
arty, of Worcester, if he would shoot docked-tailed horses. ' No,' was 
the answer, ' but I would shoot the fellows who docked their tails.' The 
House laughed and cheered." 

THE PEST OF FLIES AND PARASITES. 

It will be interesting, in connection with what has been 
said on the subject of Docking and Nicking, to include a few 





Horse fly. The horse tortured by flies. 

facts in relation to the great annoyance and injury caused by 
fllies and parasites.* 

During the hot summer months of this climate these 
pests are a more common and serious cause of anno3'ance and 
injury than most people suppose, and particularly to short- 
haired, sensitive horses. Various means are used to prevent 
their attacks, as sponging the skin with a decoction of walnut 

* From page 583 of the author's " Facts for Horse Owners." 



FLIES AND PARASITES. 



285 



or elder leaves, or to dust with Persian insect powder, in 
connection with the use of a hght blanket or fly-net. The 
stable should be provided with screens, and kept clean and 
fresh by the use of chloride of lime. 

During the hot season, also, certain kinds of flies are not 
only causes of great annoyance to horses, but deposit their 
eggs on open sores or wet, filthy parts of the skin, thereby giv- 
ing rise to serious trouble. A fly in the South called the 




The common stable fly. 
Natural size. 





The botfly. 



screw-worm fly, and the ordinary meat or flesh fly (see cut), 
is the most common and dangerous. To prevent their at- 
tacks, all wet, filthy hairs should be carefully removed and 
wounds kept clean or covered with tar, or something that 
will protect them. The more scientific treatment would be 
to render them antiseptic by the use of a carbolic acid lotion, 
in the proportion of about one part acid to fifty or sixty parts 
water, or by a mixture of one ounce oil of tar to fifteen or 
twenty of sweet oil. Should there be grubs already present, 
which is not an unusUal occurrence, they should be carefully 
picked out and one of these dressings promptl}^ applied. 

For poison bites, ammonia, or a solution of one part car- 
bolic acid to about twenty parts sweet oil or glycerine is 
recommended. 



286 



CRUELTY. 



In the bottom lands of the cotton States there are what 
are called buffalo gnats, which are very annoying and danger- 
ous. If not protected from them, they will attack and kill a 
horse very quickly. The usual remedy is liberally greasing 
the sheath and other parts that are sensitive with grease or oil. 




The famous tsetzefly of Africa. 

For the stings of bees or hornets, which are very danger- 
ous, the simplest and most effective treatment is poultices of 
wet clay, or a lotion of soda, ammonia, or carbolic acid can be 
used. 

A good illustration is given of the disturbance caused to 





Man eating- fly. A terrible fiest. The common bot fly . 

horses and cattle by the common gad or bot-fly; and it is not 
a little singular that there is a fly of this character peculiar to 
each family of the domestic as well as wild animals. 

SPECIALLY DANGEROUS FLIES. 

The Screw-worm Fly., the Common Flesh Fly, the Famous 
Tsetze Fly of Africa. — The better to emphasize the great harm 
that may be caused by flies, I think it necessary to add a few 



SPECIALLY DANGEROUS FLIES. 



287 



facts in illustration, which are common to every intelligent 
reader of natural history; which are but merely representa- 
tive of an almost countless number of others that could if de- 





Ox gad-fly . 



Horse louse fly . 



sired be referred to showing the great annoyance as well as 
danger occasioned by this class of pests, and the necessity of 
giving all possible protection against them. 

The screw-worm fly which is peculiar to the warm lati- 





Bhie bottle or blow fly, enlarged. 



Head and mandibles of fly. 



tudes of the South, is a common appearing meat fly; this fly 
is ready to deposit its eggs upon any exposed or injured 
part, which rapidly grow into little worms that burrow so 
rapidly and deeply into the tissues as to cause the most se- 



288 CRUELTY. 

vere torture, and finally result fatally. As an illustration of 
this, a drunken man, while lying insensible in the sun was 
attacked by one of these flies, which deposited its eggs in his 
nostrils, with the result of their developing so quickly and 
burrowing so deeply into the soft parts surrounding, that it 
was only by the greatest patience and difficulty that they 
were dissected out, which to save his life became imperative. 
The terrible tsetze fly, which is hardly larger than a com- 
mon house-fly, fine representations of which are given, is such 
a special curse of certain parts of Africa, as to destroy horses, 
dogs and cows by thousands, making it impossible to keep or 
use those animals in such parts of that country. A singular 
fact in relation to this fly is that it is a very local insect, its 
boundaries being sometimes so sharply defined that one side 
of a stream may be infested with it, while the other may be 
perfectly free from it. But at any rate it is impossible, as 
stated, to keep or use oxen where they exist, and conse- 
quently cattle cannot be raised in those parts of Africa. 

BADEY PREPARED FOODS. 

Though somewhat outside of the ordinary lines of cruelty, 
as generally understood, there is a cause of injury and loss 

which but few suspect, 
yet a source of such 
serious abuse as to be 
worthy of giving a few 
points upon it. This 
is, the result of feeding 
moldy or badly pre- 

Moldy oat kernel, enlarged. ^^^^^ ^^^^ j ^^^^^ 

from instructions on feeding, in my regular work, page 579: — 
"If you will look at the article on Heaves, Medical De- 
partment, you will find some startling statements: First, 
that heaves or asthmatic troubles are never found in the rac- 
ing stables, where horses are properly fed; that these troubles 
are always common to the carter's or farmer's stables, where 
there is no attention given to quality of food or conditions of 
feeding, beyond the throwing it before the animal and letting 
him eat it as he will. 




BADLY PREPARED FOODS. 



289 



"If you were to shake up moldy or mowburnt hay or 
oats, it would be found to throw off a. mass of powdery dust. 
If this is closely examined with a microscope of high power, 
it will be found to contain a mass of parasitic life. 

" I include a representation of moldy oats, with a speci- 
men of low forms of germ or para- 
sitic life common to such condi- 
tions of hay and grain, more par- 
ticularly to moldy or badly cured 
hay. This dust breathed into the 
air passages and lungs, not only, 
irritates but fills them up, and 
thereby produces such serious dis- 
turbance to the general health as 

to soon ruin it, noticeable by cough ^ ^ ^ ■' """"' & 

and husky breathing (usually termed heaves). 

The disturbance to the kidneys is liable to be very seri- 
ous. In a word, the whole system is to a greater or less 
degree poisoned and consequently the health undermined." 




19 




The natural foot. 




Contracted and ruined joot. 



[290; 



CHAPTER XXIV. 



HOW THE FEET ARE RUINED IN SHOEING. 



APART from the needless pain and cruelty it causes, the 
. aggregate of loss to the people of the country from ig- 
norant, bad treatment of the feet in shoeing is something ap- 
palling. In explanation of this it is only necessary to state 
that but few horses, after being 
shod a few years, have sound, 
healthy feet. 

Something of the suffering en- 
tailed by such causes can be un- 
derstood when it is seen that the 
horse is compelled to work and 
submit to be driven to the limit of 
his endurance, with an amount of 
pain and inflammation often going 
on in the feet, which, if a man 
were subjected to, would make him 
a helpless cripple, demanding the 
best of medical care. 




Result of bad treatment. 



CIRCULATION IN THE FEET. 

If we study the foot closely, we find it one of the most 
interesting and wonderful structures imaginable. I would 
particularly call attention to the large amount of blood which 
passes through the feet. It is estimated that about one- 
tenth of the weight of the horse's body is blood; that is, a 
horse weighing one thousand pounds, has about one hundred 
pounds of blood; and that all this blood makes the rounds of 
the system about once in every three minutes, and this, too 
while the horse is in repose; so that when excited or com- 

[291] 



293 



SHOEING. 




pelled to make much exertion, the amount of blood passing 
through the feet is necessarily greatly increased. The won- 
derful provision for this large 
circulation to pass through 
the feet is something re- 
markable, which can be seen 
by the accompanying illustra- 
tions. 

Now if from any cause 
there is a disturbance or ob- 
struction of this circulation, 
there wiH necessarily be more 
or less congestion and in- 
flammation; following which 
there will be proportionate 
injury and change of struct- 
ure, not only quickly destroy- 
ing health and vitality of the 
parts, but inducing great pain 
and soreness. Now when 
this inflammation or conges- 
tion becomes so great as to 
seriously involve the soft 
parts generally, if not 
promptly checked and con- 
trolled, such rapid destruc- 
tion of the tissue takes place 
as to quickly ruin the feet, 
and hence the explanation of 
the great loss and injury 
from these causes, which are 
very common. 

"^L __" Some common causes 

Different vic-ws of iicaitiiy feet. of injury are, cutting away 

the wall, sole and frog too much; heedlessly burning and rasp- 
ing the wall of the hoof; thick, heavy shoes badly adjusted; 





SIMPLE EFFECTIVE TREATMENT. 



293 



pricking, or driving nails too deeply — disturbances which 
quickly involve the soft parts of the foot, thereby inducing 
serious inflammation, change of structure and lameness. 




Longitudinal section of the foot, showing the internal strmtiiu 1 rom article 
on Navicular joint lameness, j, location of the trouble. 

SIMPLE EFFECTIVE TREATMENT. 

I will include here, in the way of parenthesis, a few 
points for overcoming such inflammation when it occurs. 
Outside of the measures of prevention, explained farther on, 
the simplest and best treatment is hot and cold water, the 
measure of its effectiveness being the knowledge of how to 
use it. 



.-.^^ 




SIMPLE EFFECTIVE TREATMENT. 



295 




The principle is, when the pain and disturbance are 

serious, to apply all the heat that can be borne, but not 

enough to scald or burn, as to which great care should be 

exercised. The simplest way 
to do this, in case of injury to 
the foot, is to put it in a tub of 
water as hot as can be borne 
without scalding or injury, and 
after submitting to this for ten 
or fifteen minutes, it is to be 
taken out and put into cold 
water for a minute or two, when 
it is again to be put into hot 
Profile u-.. ot-o^takfoot. Water, and so alternated until 

the inflammation will be overcome. 

The reason for such alternation is, that heat relaxes the 

skin and capillary action, and if continued for a great length 

of time would so weaken the tissues as to eventually destroy 

them. 

Cold acts as a tonic, pre- 
venting this, and toning up 

the parts, which enables the 

use of hot applications for a 

long time. I may explain 

here, further, that when there 

is severe swelling with pain, 

hot applications are always 

indicated, and the best form 

of using the latter is that of 

a strong spray from a pipe; 

next, pouring it from the 

spout of a pitcher, or other means; if there is no swelling or 

severe pain, cold may be used. 

Where there is acute inflammation, especially over a 

bony part, a continuous spray or stream of cold water poured 

on in this way will be found wonderfully effective. It is sur- 




Superior, posterior view of weak 
contracted foot. 



296 



SHOEING. 



prising to find how quickly inflammation in a part may be 
controlled by this simple treatment, the point being, should 
the inflammation return, to repeat it. 

Strains of the tendons and ligaments are so closely con- 
nected with the treatment of the foot that I am led to include 
this explanation in relation to them. In all cases of strain or 

injury, the horse should be 
given absolute rest, in con- 
nection with the use of hot or 
cold applications, as may be 
advisable. It is important 
that this be done not only 
promptly but thoroughly. 

Going back again to the 
foot, as an illustration of the 
value of this simple means 
of treatment, in overcoming 
inflammation, which if not 
prevented must soon result in 
hopeless destruction to it, I 
will refer to an instance in 
point. In getting one of my 
ponies shod, the man having 
him in charge had the calks 
made very sharp. Accident- 
ally, one of these sharp calks 
was struck into the coronet 
of the opposite foot, making 
a deep though not very se- 
rious looking wound. In- 
flammation soon set in, of so violent a character that the 
horse could not step or put his foot to the ground. To neg-. 
lect it while in this stage for even a few hours would surely 
have ruined the horse. Upon its being brought to my notice. 




Some of the deep ramifications of 
the digital artery through the bone.* 



* These cuts on circulation are from the chapter on Navicular joint lameness, in the 
author's large work, " Facts for Horse Owners." 



SUCCESSFUL TREA TMENT. 



297 



I immediately directed that the foot be put in water as hot as 
could be borne, and at the expiration of each ten or fifteen 
minutes to alternate with cold water for a few minutes. This 
was continued until the extreme pain was relieved, requiring 
several hours. 

The foot was now enveloped in several thicknesses of 
blanket wrung out of hot water. Two sets of such cloths 
were used; when one became cool, the other w^as put on. 
About every twelve to fifteen minutes these hot fomentations 
were alternated with 
applications of cold 
water for a few min- 
utes, which treatment 
was continued until 
the acute stage passed 
off, requiring nearly 
three days and nights. 
In the meantime the 
patient was carefully 
nursed and fed with 
soft food, such as 
warm bran-mashes, 
boiled oats, etc. The 
foot was now enveloped in cool, wet cloths until the inflamma- 
tion subsided, when necessity compelled me to have him put 
on the road again. The mud becoming deep, there was soon 
set up again a most alarming condition of inflammation, 
which was, if anything, worse than the first. We simply re- 
peated the treatment before used night and day, with the 
difference that we were compelled to continue it somewhat 
longer as well as with more care, but ultimately with entirely 
successful results. This case, during the height of the in- 
flammation, would seem to those of ordinary experience to be 
hopeless; I did not, however, feel any serious doubt as to the 
result, but by a careful and thorough following up of this 
simple treatment, which can be easily used by any one, there 




Superficial disposition of the digital artery 
on the lateral face of the foot. 



298 



SHOEING. 



was, as I anticipated, a quick and safe recovery, without any 
noticeable blemish. 

In a case recently reported to the author, that of a valu- 
able trotting horse, when under the pressure of a supreme 
effort in a race, one of the tendons (supposed to be the perfo- 
rans) suddenly gave way. In a short 
time the horse was so disabled that 
he could not walk or bear his weight 
upon his foot. Being regarded hope- 
lessly ruined, the owner gave orders 
to have him shot; but this not being 
done, he was taken to a stable, where 
he lay for nearly a week without being 
able to get up or move, in the mean- 
time suffering the most intense pain. 
At this point a man who had a copy 
of my book happened around, and 
on the promise of the horse being 
given to him, took him in hand. He 
used, as directed therein, fomenta- 
tions upon the foot, with such success 
that in two weeks he had the horse 
on his feet, and without difficulty 
moved him a distance of ten miles. 
He was so elated with his success 
that he wrote me the particulars in 

Arteries of the fore foot. relation tO it. 

COMMON CAUSES OF INJURY. 

The most common, least understood and most dangerous 
cause of trouble in the foot is termed navicular-joint lame- 
ness; yet in its incipient stages this difficulty, if treated 
promptly and properly, easy for anyone to do, is one of the 
simplest to overcome; while if not properly treated before a 
certain stage it will be sure to degenerate into chronic lame- 
ness, which ruins the horse. The chief difficulty is, that the 




COMMON CAUSES OF INJURY. 



299 



nature and location of the trouble, with the conditions of 
treatment, are not well understood. (See cut on page 293, 
taken from the article on this subject in the author's spe- 
cial work.) For want of specific instructions for treatment, 
this trouble is often permitted to go on, until such deteriora- 
tion of tissue or change of structure takes place, as to make 



^fl(5T^Ci\'\ 




Re-prescnts the upper surface unlh ihc clastie cartilaginous hunci that accomplishes 
it. The letters A and B indicate the part visually involved t>t navicular-joint lameticss. 
Also showing the navictdar joint with the large tendons passing down behind. 

cure impossible, and the consequence is that the horse, no 
matter how valuable otherwise, is sure to be ruined. 

Space will not permit of giving any extended particulars 
or details in relation to this interesting, important and very 
prevalent cause of affliction to horses. Those interested in 



300 



SHOEING. 



this or other forms of serious lameness common to the foot 
will find the fullest instructions in relation to them in the 
work named. 

With this digression, we will take up the conditions of 
shoeing again. 

CONDITIONS OF SHOEING. 

We see that the wild horse of the plains, that was never 
shod at all, has the best possible condition of feet; that there 




Posterior view of the interior of the hoof. 

is never any trouble with the colt's feet before being shod, 
excepting what may result from their growing out of form, 
which should be corrected by leveling down the edge of the 
wall to prevent its breaking, etc. If the foot is strong, and 
the conditions are such that the horn is not worn off more 
rapidly than it grows, shoes are entirely unnecessary, and it 
would be better to have none put on. Shoes are only de- 
manded when the wear becomes greater than the growth of 
horn, and when the feet are weak and flat, as is common to 
most horses raised in wet, low country, because they are neces- 
sary to preserve the crusts of such feet from excessive wear 



CONDITIONS OF SHOEING. 



301 



and breaking away, and also under certain conditions to give 
a hold upon the ground or prevent slipping. The shoe 
should be no larger or heavier than is necessary to sustain 
the wear for the time it is expected to be on. More than this 
becomes an injurious impediment to the mobility of the foot. 
The hoof, therefore, should be pared in such a way, and the 
shoe so fitted and adjusted, that the weight will be equally 
distributed between the bones and flexor, tendons. If one 
heel is suffered to grow higher than the other, bruises or 




Side view of properly adjtcsted shoe. 

corns must not only soon result on the high heel, but there 
will be serious disturbance to the even growth of the wall. 
So the first and most important point to be attained is to 
level the bearing of the foot so that it will be as nearly 
natural as possible in adjustment; next, not to cut away too 
much, yet enough, but no more of the hoof than to remove 
the surplus growth of wall and sole. If the foot is pared too 
much, it quickly acquires an exaggerated sensibility, due to 
the excessive thinness both of the sole and inferior wall, 
while, if not pared enough or unevenly, there will be relative 
interference with its natural functions, by causing misadjust- 
ment, contraction, with its consequent undue pressure upon 
the soft part and thus cause serious injury. 



303 



SHOEING. 




If from any cause there is in- 
flammation set up in the soft parts 
of the foot — the consequence of driv- 
ing a nail too deep, bruising the sole 
at the heel or other part, so that mat- 
ter is formed — surrounded by a hard 
unyielding covering of horny wall, as 
it is, there will be not only such 
increased pressure upon the nerves 
and blood-vessels of the parts as to 
cause the most extreme pain and 
soreness; but matter, if formed, hav- 
ing no outlet, burrows under the wall 
through the soft parts, causing an 
Nail driven into the quick. ulcer or fistula (quittor). This quickly 
spreads and causes such change of struc- 
ture and deterioration of the tissues and 
bony structure of the foot before referred 
to as to quickly ruin it. Hence the injury 
and loss from incompetency or ignorance. 
The first thing, of course, that should 
be done is to remove the nail or other 
cause of injury, whatever it is, enlarge the 
opening and reach the bottom, injecting 
some antiseptic, keeping the opening free 
for the escape of pus, when there is any, About as it should be. 
the wound being kept clean by frequent antiseptic injections. 

(One of the best and simplest 
is corrosive sublimate [bi-chlo- 
ride of mercury] one part to 500 
parts of soft water.) After the 
healing advances to the surface, 
a simple protection to the sore 
will be sufficient until the heal- 
ing is completed. The princi- 
Oneof the causes of injury. pie of treatment in all cases, is 





TIPS. 



303 



to be the reverse of the cause of the trouble, whatever it is. 
Summarized, it is briefly this: Promptly remove an offending 
foreign body, or offending pressure, and if inflammation ex- 
ists it is to be energetically counteracted, when the trouble in 
its early stages, even though serious, can be easily overcome. 

TIPS. 

As there is a great deal of discussion, in humane jour- 
nals especially, about working horses bare-foot, and more 
particularly as to the use of tips, I quote here a few para- 
graphs from my special instructions on this subject in my 
large work, where the conditions are very fully explained: — 





Good forms of tips. 

" Any foot that is thin in its structure, but more so in its 
vertical position, or from top to bottom, and with the frog 
full at its pyramidal eminence or body, is not a proper foot 
for frog pressure. In such feet the plantar cushion, or what 
is known as the fibrous or fatty frog, is very thin, is easily 
made weaker by absorption through extreme pressure or 
irritation of the horny frog, and therefore offers very little 
protection to the great flexor tendon where it passes under 
the navicular bone." 

" No thoughtful man would dare throw extra weight on 
the frog of a foot that had long suffered the navicular disease, 
however excellent this would be as a preventive. Neither 



304 SHOEING. 

should we throw extra weight on the back part of a foot or 
limb where there is any soreness of the flexor muscles or ten- 
dons, or any ligaments involved, as it would entail great ten- 
sion on the parts, while the opposite is what is required, viz., 
flexion or relaxation. " 




Horn) the foot is ruined.* 

In relation to the feet that tips can be used upon safely, 
it is stated: — 

"We can safely give extra frog and heel pressure in all 
cases where the hoof is deep at the quarters, or where there 
is a tendency toward contraction and atrophy of the frog, or 
where the obliquity of the pastern is not too great, and where 
the feet and limbs are perfectly sound and well-proportioned. " 

Putting the subject inversely: — 

" Tips are useful in case of corns, in quarter crack, in 
thrush, in interfering, and in fitting the horse to run at grass. 

* This cut is one of a series of over thirty, taken from the author's large work, 
showing the change in the structure of the foot caused by bad treatment, also an ac- 
count of each— features of great interest to the student and shoer. 



TIPS. 305 

They are not applicable to the feet that have thin, flat soles 
with no heels; or to heavy work-horses with flat feet and 
prominent frogs, as such frogs are liable to suffer bruises 
when so exposed, the resulting inflammation extending fre- 
quently to deeper and more vital structures. They are not 
applicable to feet having navicular disease; nor in applying 
them is it necessary to disturb the normal relations of the 
bones of the limb.* 



* Shoers and others specially interested in the treatment of lameness 
and shoeing, by addressing the publishers (Magner Publishing Co., Bat- 
tle Creek, Mich.) will receive some very important particulars. 



Note to page 294. — This illustration is one of a series of iifty- 
six in the author's special work, " Facts for Horse Owners," showing 
every part of the structure of the foot. 



20 



CHAPTER XXV. 



CRUELTY 

IN TRAINING AND BREAKING. 



WHILE on the road, it was a matter of almost daily oc- 
currence to have horses brought for experiment, that 
had for years resisted the efforts of the best trainers to break 
them, and which had been given up as so incorrigibly vicious 
as to be practically worthless. Yet in every instance, I was 
able to demonstrate that the whole trouble with them was 
caused by ignorant, bad treatment. This I proved by the 
quickness and ease with which I was able to make them gen- 
tle and submissive to control. I will refer to a few cases in 
point from an almost limitless number that could be men- 
tioned. 

When at Norwalk, O., among other interesting subjects 
brought me for experiment was one having the following his- 
tory: A leading citizen of the place had raised a fine three- 
year-old colt. In trying to break him, the colt was excited 
to kicking and running away. Up to five years old several 
horse-breakers had tried to break him but failed, the last trial 
having been made by two professed horse-tamers, who, after 
several weeks, not only utterly failed, but abused him so seri- 
ously that he was taken away from them, and in consequence 
of being cut up and injured was scarcely fit to be seen for sev- 
eral weeks afterwards. 

When I visited the place, this horse was seven years old, 
had been running loose about two years, and Avas considered 
so vicious and unmanageable as to be practically worthless. 

Though nobody believed that such a horse could be bro- 
ken, it became a matter of such general interest to see if I 
could do anything with him, that it was laid before me. Upon 
[306] 



INTERESTING CASES. 307 

examination of the case I assured them that he would prove 
but little more than an ordinary case, and his management 
would present no serious difficulty, which statement was 
received with incredulity. The horse, though of great spirit 
and pluck, being an exceptionally intelligent fellow, yielded 
to the treatment as I anticipated, as I was not only able to 
drive him gently and without breeching before the class, in 
about thirty-five minutes, but was able next day to give a 
test exhibition in the open street with him, when he proved 
so safe and gentle, that while surrounded with a noisy crowd 
of boys and men, I could stop and start him at will, by word 
of command only, though six or eight rods distant from him, 
showing that the trouble with him was the result entirely 
of the most inexcusably bad treatment. 

The case referred to on page 117, was a striking one in 
point. This horse, after being sent a distance of sixty miles 
to a noted horse-trainer for treatment, and being worked upon 
six weeks, in the time being abused so seriously that the 
trainer was arrested twice for cruelty, was finally sent home 
as so incorrigibly vicious that nothing could be done with him; 
yet proved but a little more than a simple case to manage. 

In Mansfield, O., I had a very interesting case in point. 
This was a finely bred trotting mare, purchased when three 
years old by McVay and Allison of that city After exhaust- 
ing every effort to break her, and failing, at seven years old, 
when I visited that place, she was regarded so exceptionally 
vicious and unmanageable as to be practically worthless. 

With the purpose solely of having some fun with me, the 
owner directed their foreman to join my class and take her in, 
telling him that she was too mean to breed from, and being 
practically worthless, they did not care if she was killed. I 
was not, however, given the slightest intimation of her char- 
acter. Neither her owners nor anybody else had the least 
faith that the treatment would do her any good, supposing 
that if she could be controlled at all it would be mcrel}' tern- 



308 CRUELTY IN TRAINING. 

porary, and would amount to nothing. So fixed were the 
owners in this impression that they did not come near me. 

Upon her being brought in, I recognized her to be some- 
what of an exceptional character, and, taking her in hand 
carefully, within forty minutes brought her under complete 
control, driving her in the street without breeching.* 

Three months afterwards I met one of the owners of this 
mare, who informed me that she was then one of the finest 
and most valuable driving mares in that country, the one 
treatment given her before the class having proved sufficient 
to make her entirely gentle. 

Now in the effort to break this mare she had been abused 
enough to kill any common horse, showing that the whole 
trouble with her was owing to the ignorant and abusive treat- 
ment to which she had been subjected. 

The Wilkins horse, referred to on page 145, was a strik- 
ing one in point. This horse, as a final trial, was given to a 
horse tamer, who, after working upon him a week, pro- 
nounced him so incorrigibly vicious that he could do nothing 
with him. Yet by less than an hour's treatment this case was 
made entirely manageable. The abuse to which this horse 
had been subjected in the effort to break him was simply out- 
rageous. 

A striking illustration in point is the case of a balky 
mare brought to m}^ attention, while preparing this Avork, in 
this city (Battle Creek, Mich.) A business man called at my 
office and made the following statement in relation to his suc- 
cess in controlling a mare that he then owned. He stated 
that the mare had been a balker of the worst character, and 
had passed through the hands of six different parties (giving 
the names and facts), the last one of whom, being determined 

* It will be interesting to add here an incident in connection with 
the treatment of this case. The opposition with which I was met at this 
place made it necessary that I should make a great effort, and for this 
reason I was led among other things to place a forfeiture of five hun- 
dred dollars if I failed to drive gently, without breeching, within 
forty minutes, the most vicious, kicking, runaway horse that could be 
produced. 



INTERESTING CASES. 309 

to make her work or kill her, and unable to make her go, 
knocked her down several times; at one time so severely 
clubbing her as to make her insensible, and for some time 
thought to be dead. Being considered practically worthless, 
she was secured by him at a merely trifling cost — inside of 
twenty dollars. He stated that when he got her she was so 
cut up and injured from the effects of the severe abuse, that 
she was not fit to be seen, and that he had to let her run for 
a month before attempting to do anything with her, when he 
directed his teamster what to do. The first day after being 
taken in hand, she balked once, after which she worked right 
in, and was then one of the best and gentlest working mares 
in the city; would pull a ton anywhere, and that $150 would 
not buy her. Asking him to give me the exact details of 
what he did with her, he looked at me quizzically and said, 
"Why, I did exactly as you direct in your book," referring 
to the incident, given in the chapter on balking, page 261, 
not coming at all under the head of regular treatment, but 
showing what good management will do. He was led to try 
it, with the result stated. 

Now here was a naturally fine, gentle horse, which had 
been so wretchedly clubbed and abused as to result in being 
practically ruined. 

These are but fair representations of the great amount of 
abuse and cruelty to which horses are subjected on account 
of ignorance. 

As illustrative of the interest frequently exhibited in this 
point, by those attending my lectures, I will refer to repre- 
sentative incidents. 

Once, after experimenting upon a notably vicious colt, 
and driving him gently without breeching before a class, re- 
quiring about twenty minutes, a Methodist minister, who was 
present, remarked that if he had known three months before 
what he had just learned, it would not onl}' have saved him 
a valuable young horse, whicli he had to trade oil for mere 
nothing, but the infliction upon him of a degree of abuse of 



310 CRUELTY IN TRAINING. 

which he was really ashamed. He said that he and his 
brother worked upon a fine colt owned by him, fully half a 
day in trying to drive him; that the colt got away from them, 
plunging over a fence, carrying the buggy with him; that he 
supposed he was doing only the proper thing to whip and 
pound the horse, and in the great excitement under which he 
was laboring, he did it in the severest manner; that for weeks 
afterwards he was so lame and sore in consequence of the ex- 
ertion of whipping the horse, as to be unfitted to do any cleri- 
cal work. And turning to me in a laughing manner, he said, 
"Your work is really calculated to do more good than any 
pulpit in the land." 

At another time a lady, who with her husband attended 
one of my lectures, after the lesson, with a smile remarked, 
"You are a real missionary to the women of the country." 
In explanation, she said that some time before they owned a 
favorite horse, which would sometimes balk; that she could 
always tell, when her husband came home at night, when the 
horse had balked; that at such times he would be so cross 
and irritable that for days there was scarcely any living with 
him; that even the children would be so afraid of him that 
they would shrink into a corner from him; that she had so 
much trouble in consequence, that she finally prevailed upon 
her husband to get rid of the horse. And continuing pleas- 
antly, she said, "If we had then known what we have learned 
of you today, how much trouble it would have saved us." 



THE NEW BOOK. 



ITS PREPARATION AND GREAT COST-INTERESTING FACTS. 



Reference being repeatedly made in the preceding pages 
to my large work, "Facts for Horse Owners," it will be of 
interest, especially to my old scholars, to give here a few facts 
in relation to it. 

As stated on page 163, after leaving the road, as the con- 
dition of my health permitted, I took up the work of writing 
out the details of my system for general instruction, with the 
addition of such features as experience had taught me would 
be of most importance to horse-owners. Becoming unable to 
finish the matter as I desired, I was forced to publish it as it 
was. When finally published, I found it came so far short of 
what I desired to make it that I concluded to suppress it un- 
til I could revise and rewrite it. Persuaded, however, to per- 
mit the sale of a few copies, to my surprise it was received 
with such favor that to meet the demand it was necessary to 
print, in rapid succession, six large editions. 

However, as the condition of my health permitted, I took 
up again the work of rewriting it, including the addition of 
much new and valuable matter, in connection with a far 
larger number and finer class of illustrations. To do this in 
the best possible manner, agents were employed by me, both 
in this country and Europe, to obtain what would in any way 
aid or be suggestive in securing designs for the features of 
illustration desired, more particularly on the structure of the 
foot. Something of the magnitude of this work can be under- 
stood by the fact that a large proportion of the engravings 
illustrating the text, including these plates, have been re- 
drawn and re-engraved from two to three times, including the 
color blocks of the plates and was the work of near- 
ly seven years to accomplish, making the series of engrav- 
ings and plates not only what are accepted as undoubtedly 
the most complete and valuable of their kind, but the most 



31^ THE NEW BOOK. 

expensive yet published in any single work on the horse. 

The work comprises three general divisions: First, all 
the details of my system of subduing and controlling vicious 
or unmanageable horses, just as I gave them to classes, with 
the difference of being given with more care and fullness, 
illustrated in the best manner possible, including such other 
facts as would be of most interest on training, care, and 
management of horses. 

Up to my time there was no well-defined system or basis of 
treatment known on the subjection or control of vicious 
horses. This it has remained for me to finally accomplish by 
a series of such discoveries as to practically revolutionize all 
previous ideas on the subject. 

These secrets and methods of treatment having been al- 
most entirely the outgrowth of my own efforts and study, and 
given by me only under an oath of secrecy to classes, at a 
cost of from five to ten dollars each, this knowledge, coming 
directly from me, becomes relatively important and valuable. 
There are many single things in this department that I have 
been told hundreds of times were worth hundreds of dollars 
to any horse-owner. 

Among other important entirely new features in this part, 
is an interesting chapter on trotting. A feature of the illus- 
tration of this is positions in the flying trot, with the best con- 
formations for speed and endurance, represented by portraits 
from life, with sections of the same, of the best representa- 
tive trotters in the world up to the time of its publication, 
comprising over fifty made expressly for it. 

Equally interesting are chapters on cruelty, illustrated in 

the finest possible manner, the features on telling the age. 

In addition to the large number of illustrations in the text in this 

chapter there is a diagram, comprising nearly one hundred of 

the most perfect representations of the teeth, which show the 

progressive changes up to thirty years.* 

*Copies of this interesting diagram, printed on thin paper, suitable 
for mailing, will be furnished on application by inclosing three two- 
cent stamps to cover postage. 



THE NEW BOOK. 313 

Part Second. — The care of the feet and shoeing, with the 
most complete instructions for the management of injuries and 
lameness. In this department, in addition to the regular in- 
structions, careful technical explanations of the structure of 
the foot, are given, not only finely illustrated in the text, but 
with a series of over fifty elegant plates, which give at a 
glance a better idea of the wonderful structure of the foot 
than it would be possible to obtain in any other way by years 
of study. These elegant plates, which in the best editions are 
in colors, if published separately, at an ordinary sale, could 
not be afforded at less than the price of the complete work. 

The points of curing contraction and quarter-crack, which 
have been held as great secrets, including a valuable patent 
(the use of which is given to subscribers), shoers admit to be 
absolutely priceless to them, and is published only in this 
work. 

In this section is given a secret for the relief and cure of contraction and lameness 
for which the United States Government paid $25,000. 

Many shoers, who have obtained their instructions en- 
tirely from my old book on these points, have been so suc- 
cessful in the cure of injuries and lameness as in many cases 
to make it a specialty, thereby often doubling and trebling 
their income. The following are examples: — 

A few months after obtaining a copy of the Avork a shoer 
writes: — 

"I have cured eight cases of quarter crack, fifteen cases of con- 
traction, and nearly thirty cases of what is called navicular-joint 
lameness since I have had your book, I can now do so much better 
by treating lameness than I can by shoeing that I have abandoned 
my regular work of shoeing and make this a specialty." 

Another writes, a few weeks after receiving it: — 
"I have niade more than Five Times the Cost of your book 
already feince I have had it. I have cured a (2uartcr-0'ack in each 
of the fore feet of a horse which I had tried for four years to cure, 
but failed. Also cured one which another horseshoer tried in vain 
to cure." 

"I would not be without Prof. Magner's book for $50. The iii- 
strneiion on SHOEING is the BEST I EVER SA VVr 

Harry Sullivan, 
Ex-Sec. Mich. State Ass'n Master Horseshoers, Battle Creek, Mich. 



314 THE NEW BOOK. 

"For six months or more, my horse was very lame because of a 
contracted foot. During that time I daily treated his foot in a vari- 
ety of ways, but was unable to afford him any relief. It is now 
about two weeks since I began to try Prof. Magner's treatment 
for contracted feet, as set forth in his valuable work on the horse, 
and it affords me great pleasure to say that my horse is free from 
lameness from that cause. I had frequently expressed a willingness 
to pay any person ^25 to do for my horse what I have done with a 
very trifling expense, by using knowledge derived from this woi^k. " 

H. H, Blanchard, 
Attorney at Law, Janesville, Wis. 

Part Third. — Diseases, Injuries, Lameness, etc. In the 
preparation of this section, the author was assisted by several 
of the most eminent veterinary experts in the country. Over 
two hundred and fifty topics are treated. The aim has been 
to give the instructions in language so free from technical- 
ities as to make the meaning most easily comprehended by 
ordinary stablemen and owners, and the remedies advised are 
such as experience has demonstrated to be the most reliable 
and practical. 

Besides other important features there are a large number 
of valuable prescriptions, which have been held as great 
secrets in the profession, and highly valued by eminent prac- 
titioners, and were only obtained with great expense and 
difficulty. Many of these have been repeatedly sold at large 
prices. 

The work comprises nominally 11 20 pages, royal octavo, 
with 1384 wood engravings illustrating the text, and nearly 80 
full page plates — in the best editions in colors. 

In giving instructions personally, it was always on the 
broad conditions that any one who was not in the fullest 
degree satisfied, by so stating to me, either privately or pub- 
licly, could at once have his money back; and during my long 
experience of over twenty 3'ears on the road, no one can truth- 
fully say that he had reason to be dissatisfied. Now I may be 
permitted to state that I am, if possible, more sensitive in 
relation to this work meeting every promised requirement 
and giving the fullest satisfaction. 



ABSOLUTE GUARANTEE. 315 

For this reason it is sold by the publishers, with my 
personal guarantee to those who may order it, either from the 
office of publication or through agents, that if upon careful 
examination, it is not found as represented, and satisfactory, 
it can be returned to the publishers and money will be re- 
funded. 

This work is sold only by subscription, not being for 
sale in book stores, but where there are no agents, those 
wishing can obtain copies immediately, without risk or extra 
charge, by inclosing price to the publishers of the edition 
desired. 

If preferred, the price can be enclosed to the agent of 
the American Express Company, of this city (Battle Creek, 
Mich.), with orders to be held ten days, or longer if desired, 
at the same time notifying the office, and the book will be 
forwarded promptly to any part of the country with express 
charges prepaid. If, after the book is received, it is not 
found as represented or satisfactory, it can be returned at 
the expense of the publishers and money ordered back. No 
stipulation is made as to damage or injury to the book, with 
the exception that it shall not be mutilated. 

I may with great pleasure be permitted to state that on 
these conditions, out of a large sale of the former edition, 
which was necessarily very crude and imperfect, not a single 
copy was returned or dissatisfaction expressed. And with 
the far larger, finer, and more expensive character of the 
work, as now published, I have the strongest reason for 
believing that it will be valued at least with equal favor. 

I include a few representative statements from thousands 
that could be given, showing the high appreciation of the 
old work: — 

"I can conscientiously say that it is by far the best work of the 
kind that, so far as I know, has ever been issued from the press." 

Robert Bonner, owner of Maud S., Sunol, etc. 

"It contains the most useful information to the owner of tlie 
horse that it has ever been my privilege to examine in any siuglc 
volume or work." D. G. Sutherland, V. S., 

President of Michigan State Vet. Association, East Saginaw, Mich. 



316 THE NEW BOOK 

"To my mind, Prof. Magner's book is the grandest work of our 
time on the horse." James Hamill, D. V. S., 

Prof, of Pathological Shoeing, in N. Y. Vet. Col., 416 E. 14th St., N. Y. 

"I consider your work a masterpiece of its character, while all 
the lovers of horseflesh will ever regard the great treatise as an em- 
blem of great merit, not only in the present century, but in all time 
to come." C. A. Hill, D. V. S., 

Pittsfield, Mass. 

"I would not take %'^o for my book if I could not get another. 
The veterinary department alone is worth double the price asked for 
the book." E. B. Murdock, 

Erving, Mass. 

"I did not at first appreciate the value of Prof. Magner's book, 
but the more I studied it, the more I learned to value it. During 
the time I have had it, it has saved me, at the lowest average, one 
hundred dollars a year. Money could not induce me to part with my 
copy, if I could not get another." W. W. Starkey, Prop., 

Cedar River Stock Farm, Fowlerville, Mich. 

"About two weeks since I received from my brother in Connecticut 
a copy of your valuable book on the Horse, and a more interesting and 
instructive book never before reached my hand. Believing it would do 
your heart good, I will state that I have subdued some of the most 
vicious and dangerous horses ever known in this section of the country 
in twenty minutes to one hour, by the application of your treatment 
[refers to treatment used]. Perhaps I may seem to you a little over- 
enthusiastic, but 1 have just put the finishing touches on the worst brute 
of a beast that man ever attempted to lay hands on, and all the efforts 
made to accomplish the result were of the neatest, easiest, and safest 
kind, which makes one smile to see how powerful he is, especially when 
he has Magner at hand." B. C. Platt, V. S., 

Reno, Nev. 

"The price is not one-half what this book is worth. Really, if I 
could not get another copy, I would not take $100 for it. 1 have by its 
instructions broken a horse that a child can handle him anywhere and 
in any place. He was a very vicious animal. He would run away 
without the slightest cause, get frightened at flying paper or almost 
anything else. He is now perfectly safe, not afraid of anything." 

L. D. Plympton, 
30 May St., Worcester, Mass. 

" I believe that every man who owns a horse should have your book. 
I would not take five times the price of it, if I could not get another 
copy. It is undoubtedly the best book of the kind extant." 

J. W. TiLDEN, A. M.,'M. D., 

Peekskill, N. Y. 

"The book came all right; just what I wanted. I would not take 
$25 for it, if I could not get another copy." W. E. Straight, 

Gerry, N- Y. 



TESTIMONIALS. 317 

A leading editor and agricultural writer of twenty-five years ex- 
perience, after examining the book carefully, says, " there are 200,000 
people in this country who, if they knew the value of this book, would 
have it at once at even twice its price. There are 50,000 in the State of 
Illinois alone who would buy it." 

" I regard your book on the horse as the best that exists on the 
subject of which it treats." Paul Paquin, A. M., V. S. 

State Veterinarian and Prof. Veterinary Science in State Agr. College, 

Columbia, Mo 

This work is placed at the following low prices: — 
In fine English cloth binding, with plates plain . . $5.00 

In library binding, with plates plain 6.00 

On extra paper, with plates in colors, in library binding 7.00 

Same in Russia binding 8.00 

A small edition of this last binding only has been pre- 
pared to meet special demands. 
We place one cheap edition in cloth binding, without 

plates at ^3-75 

The author would say to friends that he is confident that 
the edition on extra paper, with colored plates, at the addi- 
tional price, will give the best satisfaction. 

For any additional particulars, address Magner Pub- 
lishing Co., Battle Creek, Mich., and a paper will be for- 
warded giving other particulars of interest. 




y^^ltAjLy 







318 NO TE. 

Note to page 162.— The BATTLE CREEK SANITARIUM.— But few 

realize the magnitude and interesting character of this really great 
institution, whicli is now, I believe, conceded to be the largest and most 
complete of its kind in this country or the world. 

In its management it embraces both hygienic and surgical treat- 
ment, all of which is conducted on the most advanced and scientific 
principles. 

It has an efficient corps of from eight to twelve physicians and sur- 
geons, with a small army of nurses and assistants, averaging about 
three hundred. 

It is under the general control of one of the most distinguished 
surgeons and students of hygienic science in the country, under whose 
management it has grown up almost entirely to its present large propor- 
tions and prosperity. 

The following are some of the principal figures which will give some 
idea of the great magnitude of the institution: — 

Frontage of main buildings, nearly 600 feet. 

Floor surface of main buildings, nearly four acres. 

Floor surface of cottage annexes, about three acres. 

Floor surface of other accessory buildings, nearly two acres. 

Cost of the whole establishment, about $500,000. 

m-A BONANZA FOR YOU. 

WRITE US AT ONCE. 

BOOK AGENTS. — Whatever your experience in selling books, 
write us immediately for particulars. To Experienced Agents of 
ability we offer liberal terms. Our Agents are making BIG 
SALES, where nothing could be done with other books. 

We also want LADY AGENTS in EVERY TOWN and CITY 
in the COUNTRY to sell this and other books on Salary or Com- 
mission. Bright, smart ladies out of employment, no matter what 
your experience, we can put you in the way of making good 
wages. Write us immediately, giving particulars of age and ex- 
perience. See special statement on 2d page of cover. 

THE MAGXER FUB. CO., 

BATTLE CREEK, MICH. 



INDEX. 



A conspiracy. 62 

Adaptation to wants. 223 

Amusing incident 36 

Amusing incident, results. . . 136 

An extreme case 66 

Animals, intelligence of . . . . 97 

An interesting experiment ... 117 

A peculiar case iii 

Art of taming horses 209 

A severe trial. 68 

Assistants 160 

A test experiment 42 

A trifling incident, result of.. 37 

Augusta, Me., My visit to. . . 38 

Bad Foods 288 

Bad Shoeing 291 

Blind Billy 169 

Blinders 263 

Bonner, Robert, 74, 147, 149, 201 

Book, New. 163 

Buffalo Man Eater. 49 

Cases, special 231 

Causes of injury .... 298 

Chances, narrow. 65 

Charactei-istic incident 177 

Character, understanding... 87 

Charming horses 106 

Checking.. 249 

Classes, managing 93 

Classes, teaching 81 

Cleveland, my visit to 43 

Committee, report of 175 

Committee, watched by. 60, 232 

Conspiracy a 62 

Sanitarium Note to page 162 



Control by the eye 106 

Cruelty 245 

Cruelty in checking 249 

Cruelty in blinders. 263 

Cruelty in docking and nick- 
ing 277 

Cruelty in training and break- 
ing 306 

Cruelty in shoeing 291 

Cruiser, facts in relation to.. 204 

Dangerous cases. 130 

Defeat me, efforts to 124 

Denton Offutt 201 

Desirable subjects 89 

Discoveries, important 29 

Disorderly element. 155 

Docking and nicking 277 

Driving stallions without 

reins .... 28 

Edwards, William 44 

Efforts to defeat me 124 

Embarrassing trial 140 

Engage in the business, how 

I came to 14 

Exhibitions, pony. . 151 

Experiment, an interesting. . 117 
Experiment, an interesting 

test 42 

Experiments in New York ... 73 

Extreme case. 66 

Eye, control by 106 

Fancher, O. H. P 11 

Feats, greatest 132 

Feats, little 94 

Feats, special 34 

-see 318. l3'9] 



330 



INDEX. 



First class 20 

Flies and parasites. 284 

Goodenough, R. A 13, 206 

Greencastle horse 114 

Herman stallion 6<^ 

Hillrnan horse 58,231 

Hillman horse, report on. . . 235 

Horse, Hettrick .85,237 

Malone 45 

Omnibus 238 

Oxford 240 

Press 51 

Roberts 31 

Horse training, wonderful . . 234 
How I came to engage in the 

business 14 

Important discovery 291 

Importance of the subject.. 212 

Incident, characteristic..., 177 

Incidents, results of slight. . 144 
Incredulity, remarkable. . .37,120 

Instructions, sources of.... 26 

Intelligence of animals 97 

Jet conquered 234 

Jet, Sketch of 235 

Known before my time, what 

was 9 

Malone horse 45 

Managing classes 93 

Man-eater, Buffalo 49 

Mean men 275 

Mustang pony 66 

My trained ponies 165 

My visit to New York City, 64,71 

Narrow chances 65 

New York, test experiments 

in. ...... , 64,71 



Oberlin incident 152 

Offutt, Denton 201 

Peculiar case in 

Pete, Wild in 

Pony exhibitions 151 

Principles of control 108 

Rarey, John S., inside facts 

. . 12,188,203 

Remarkable incredulity 120 

Report N. Y. committee. ... 75 

Result slight incidents 144 

Result of trifling incident. . . 37 

Roberts horse 31 

Robinson, J. W. 163 

Sanitarium 162 

Shoeing, bad 29 

Slight incidents, results of. . 144 

Special cases 231 

Special feats 34 

Special mention \ 159 

Sources of instruction 26 

Subjects, desirable 8g 

Taking risks 61 

Teaching classes 81 

Teaching tricks 188 

Test experiments 42 

Test experiments in New 

York 71 

Tommy 165 

Trained ponies 41,165 

Trials in New York 148 

Trifling incident, results of . . 37 

Understanding character... 87 

War, tug of 181 

Watched by committee. . .60,232 

Wild Pete in 

Wonderful performance... 234 



REVEESIBLE VETEKINARY DIAGRAMS 

A series of four veteriuary charts, 36 by 51 inches, printed in colors on heavy plate 
paper. 

' No. 1— Comprises 30 fine figures, printed in four colors, so grouped and arranged as 
to show at a glance every detail of the structure of the foot. 

No. 2.— A grouping of 50 special figures, showing in the most interesting and 
instructive form the effects of injury and disease. A feature of the greatest import- 
ance and interest to the student and shoer. not before published or made accessible. 

No. 3— Nearly 100 fleures representing the ground views of the foot, principles of 
shoeing, with ditferent Kinds of shoes, including specimens of old Roman shoes sup- 
posed to be 2,000 years old. 

No. 4— Thirty-six fine figures, showing the physiology and anatomy of the horse, 
good and bad points of bodily structure, etc., etc. 

These fine diagrams are printed on both sides of heavy plate paper, the first in 
four colors the others in two colors each, mounted equally fine on both sides, so that 
they can be hung in the shop, occupying the space of two yet by reversing having the 
advantage of four elegant diagrams. 

These diagrams are warranted to be just what represented, and indispensable to 
the student and shoer. They are made up from plates and engravings, representing 
the subjects treated from the different departments of Facts for Horse Owners. If 
engravings were made especially for them, they could not, at an ordinary sale, be 
furnished at less than from $3 to $5 a set, but representing the book, and desiring in 
connection with it to bring them within the reach of all, they are placed at the merely 
nominal prices named. 

Finely mounted, with edges tape bound, and rarnished 

in the finest map form, ... $1.00 per set. 

Two sets, - - - - . - $1.75. 

Additional sets at the same rate. 

In sheets unmounted .... $ .40 per set. 

Two sets ----■-$ .65. 

Additional sets at same rate. 

For further details send name to the publishers as l)elow and a paper giving full 
particulars will be sent you. 



DIAGEAMS ON THE TEETH 

How to Tell the Age. The Finest Representation of the Progressive Changes in the 
Teeth Yet Published. 

These fine Diagrams comprise 80 special figures, showing table, front and profile 
views of the various changes of the teeth from the young colt to the old horse of 
thirty years, so arranged and grouped as to enable at a glance determining the age of 
the horse accurately. 

It Is printed on thin map paper of the finest quality, 25 by 38 inches, suitable for 
mailing, 15 cents a copy. Printed on heavy plate paper 25 cents, net. 

Also the same, table, front and profile views in continued contrast in parallel col- 
umns three feet long, comprising 50 special figures. 

The second on thin map paper, 15 by 38 inches in connection with the other, 10 
cents a copy, or by mail tnenty-tive cents for both. 

These charts are indispensable to the Breeder and Stablekeeper. 

A special edition of the plates on the structure of the foot on fine quality of plate 
paper in book form 12 by 18 inches, including full technical details, with other infor- 
mation, of interest for the special use of students, $2, 00 per set net. 

Agents Wanted.— Ladies and gentlemen of practical experience, we have just what 
you want. Write us at once for particulars. 

Good bright men and women out of employment, if you are willing to push work 
energetically, we can put you in the way of making good wages, with pleasant, agree- 
able work— practically the best kind of missionary work. You can rely upon fair 
dealing and the most liberal terms. On these points we can easily satisfy you. Write 
us at once giving particulars. 

These books and diagrams are sold exclusively by agents and by the publishers 
direct from the office of publication. 

For full particulars address 

THE MAGNER PUBLISHING CO., 

Battle Creek, Michigan. 




How to Obtain tlie Bool( FREE. 

We desire to make this book available to all 
Teamsters, Trainers, Horse - Shoers, Coachmen, 
Breeders, and others, having the care or personal 
charge of horses. To any one who will send 
us X^wenty-five plainly written names and 
addresses of Teamsters, Coachmen and others men- 
tioned, and six cents to pay postage, we will send 
a copy of the book free. 

A copy on extra paper with special plates at 
twenty-five cents and twenty-five names. The 
extra edition at the extra cost will give the best 
satisfaction. 

This work is cheap at twice the prices at which 
placed, 25 and 50 cents a copy, but to extend its 
circulation, it is as an experiment sold at these 
rates, which barely cover cost. 

THE MAGNER PUB. CO., 

BATTLE GREEK, MICH. 



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